Udupi Fishermen seek ban against LED fishing

Bhatkallys News Bureau Udupi 02 Feb 2018: With the expectation to completely stop LED fishing and bull trawling from August 2018, Members of the fisherman's association, both from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada came together to seek a ban on the practice of carrying out fishing using LED light and bull trawling. The government had earlier banned the use, installation or operation of surface or submerged artificial lights/LED lights, fish light attractors beyond territorial waters. The Centre had urged the States/Union Territories and the Coast Guard to take steps to stop the use of LED light fishing within and beyond territorial waters. Inspite of following the government's directives, some fishermen were still implementing the fishing with LED lights which results in damaging marine life in coastal belt. The issue was discussed recently in the meeting held by Pramod Madhwaraj, Fisheries Minister at Udupi. After seeking the knowledge of bad effects of LED fishing, the Nadadoni Fishermen Association of Uttar Kannada had written to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, to instruct the district Administration of strictly enforcing the ban on LED fishing and bull trawling.