PANAJI
The breeding season ban on mechanised fishing along Goa's coast came into effect from Sunday and will last until July 31.
The ban aims to protect marine biodiversity during the monsoon breeding season and prohibits mechanised fishing vessels (trawlers) with both trawl nets as well as purse-seine nets from venturing out for fishing through the ban period.
The ban, however, excludes small canoes registered with the fisheries department and fitted with outboard motors of maximum 10 Horse-power. These canoes will be permitted to fish using gill nets.
Hundreds of trawlers drop anchor for this two-month period in Goa and also in the three other States on the west coast -- Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala.
Interestingly, the ban on mechanised fishing is bonanza time for Goa's traditional fishing communities (ramponkars) inhabiting little fishing hamlets across the 105-kilometer coastline.
The ban affects supplies to local fish markets and the catch of the traditional ramponkars fetch better prices and they also end up with better catch during this period.
Several fish-loving Goans also make a beeline to these fishing hamlets either on beaches or river banks, for a bargain directly from the ramponkars and for a fresh fair.
Other traditional fishing areas -- brackish waters and sluice-gate regulated khazans (manas) -- also witness hectic fishing activity during these two-month ban period when markets are starved of fish supplies from the mechanised fishing (trawlers).
