While Rahul Gandhi batted for fishermen in Kerala and blamed the Modi government for adversely affecting their livelihoods, the Agriculture Ministry issued a late clarification to explain the Centre’s moves.

The cause of concern among the State’s fisherman has been the Centre’s decision to extend a 45-day trawling ban to 61 days to protect marine life. An expert committee has also suggested new guidelines for deep-sea fishing.

Rahul had raised the issue during the Budget session and stated that the Congress would undertake a nationwide agitation to protect fishermen’s rights. The Ministry’s statement explained that a ban within 12 nautical miles (nm) is a State subject and “imposed in the interests of the livelihood of fishermen”. Beyond 12 nm of their exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the ban was applied earlier for 47 days but States had their own ban periods and “boats of one State were entering into the waters of another, thereby causing disputes”.

Earlier bans

“The proposal was agreed to by all coastal States/UTs except Kerala,” the statement said, adding that the State itself had applied a 61-day fishing ban in 1988 and a 67-day ban in 2006.

“We should be aware that the fishing ban has not been imposed for the first time or by the current government only, but it has been imposed over the past two decades, with the motive to ensure conservation of fish during its breeding period, so that fishermen can get the maximum benefit,” it added.

The statement also said that rumours of the Centre allowing foreign fishing vessels are “completely untrue”.

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