Monsoon fishing ban will be in force along Karnataka coast from June 15.
A press release by the Deputy Director, Fisheries Department, Mangalore, said here that the Karnataka Government has banned deep-sea fishing by mechanised boats along Dakshina Kannada and Udupi coasts from June 15 to August 10.
The deep-sea fishing ban will be in force from June 15 to July 31 along Uttara Kannada coast.
However, the country boats having outboard engines up to 10 hp are allowed to venture into the sea during the period.
Those mechanised boat owners who violate the ban and venture for deep-sea fishing will be penalised, and will not be eligible for the benefits extended by the Government during the year.
It may be mentioned here that the Government extends tax-free diesel for mechanised fishing. Around 3,500 mechanised boats got this facility in 2012-13.
While submitting the Karnataka Budget in February, Jagadish Shettar, the then Chief Minister, had stated that the Government supplied around 1.14 lakh kilo litres of diesel during 2012-13. He had also announced that the supply of tax-free diesel to fishermen would be increased to 1.30 lakh kilo litres during 2013-14.
The department has allowed the fishermen to venture into the sea for multi-day deep-sea fishing from August 3 in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. However, they will be allowed to return to the fishing harbours only after August 10, the release said.
vinayak.aj@thehindu.co.in