57-day deep-sea fishing ban from June 15 along Karnataka coast

Bhatkal - 09 June, 2011: The annual deep-sea fishing ban along the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada will come into effect from Tuesday, June 15 forcing boat owners and the fishing community to allow themselves a break of nearly two months.

The fishing ban in D.K. and Udupi will be in force up to August 10 while the ban in Uttara Kannada will remain in force until July 31st, the Department of fisheries officials said.

The ban will be applicable to those who go in for deep-sea fishing with mechanized boats and trawlers and to country boats that use inboard or outboard engines above 10 HP.

The government through a notification has warned that strict legal action would be taken against those who violate the ban.

Those who violate the fishing ban will not be eligible for subsidized diesel and for concession in central excise duty, the notification said.

The ban on fishing activities is slapped every year in order to help the fishes to breed, and also in view of danger posed by the rough sea during the monsoon season.

Mechanized boats violating the ban will not get subsidized diesel provided from the Karnataka Government, the release said. The Karnataka Budget for 2011-12 had enhanced the quantity of subsidized diesel for mechanized fishing boats in Karnataka from 85,000 kilolitres to 1 lakh kilolitres.

Bhatkallys News Bureau