Rajahmundry: Proposal to amend Marine Fishing Act

Rajahmundry: To help conserve several species of fishes in the sea, Fisheries authorities have come up with a proposal to amend Andhra Pradesh Marine Fishing Act, 1995, to incorporate certain provisions such as usage of square mesh fishing net, replacing diamond shaped ones, and also to impose limit on engine capacity of mechanised boats in the state.

Fisheries authorities said that at present, the fishermen have been using fishing nets having diamond shaped mesh and they want it to be replaced with square shaped mesh, with not less than 16 mm diameter for each square in the net, so that juvenile fish will not be trapped in the net.

At present, the juvenile fish are being caught in the net and are getting perished.

The authorities also intend to impose a limit on the engine capacity of mechanised boats or trawlers which go for deep sea fishing as there is no such limit existing in the present Act.

The reason for imposing curbs on engine limit is again to save the juvenile fish from getting caught.

Mechanised boats pull bag net, by running at a high speed, so that the fishes coming on its course of sail get trapped in the net.

The authorities want to limit the horse power of  the engine so that they sail at a considerable speed and by using square shaped fishing net, the juvenile fish will be saved from getting trapped.

With no specific engine capacity mentioned in the Act for mechanised boats, the fishermen or the fish traders are using high capacity engines such as 400 hp and more.

The fisheries authorities said that soon after counting of votes, scheduled to be held on May 23, a new government will be formed in the state and once the Assembly sessions are scheduled to be held, they will make a move on behalf of the government to carry out an amendment to certain provisions in Andhra Pradesh Marine Fishing  Act, 1995 to bring in changes and make it mandatory to use square mesh fishing net and also to limit the engine capacity for mechanised boats.

On the other hand, the fisheries authorities are keeping a close vigil on ban imposed on fishing, especially in sea, and also in reservoirs from April 15 to June 14 in the state. As this season is considered to be a heavy breeding season for fishes, the imposition of ban on fishing has been continuing for several years.

The fisheries authorities have warned the fishermen, fish transporters and traders to book cases in case they flout the norms by going for fishing and transport, sell the fish.

East Godavari Fisheries Joint Director Dr V. Venkateswara Rao said: “We have come up with two proposals with one to allow usage of square mesh fishing nets for fishing and also to impose limit in engine capacity of mechanised boats, by carrying out amendment to the relevant Sections in AP Marine Fishing (Regulation) Act, 1995 so that we can help conserve several species of fishes in the sea.”