Kerala tightens fishing rules: Catching undersized fish could cost boats Rs 2.5 lakh

Kochi: The Fisheries Department has intensified inspections of fishing boats found catching undersized fish. Heavy fines are being imposed on boats that catch fish before they reach the legally prescribed minimum size.

The department has prescribed minimum sizes for different fish species. Sardines (mathi) must be at least 10 cm, pink perch (kilimeen) 12 cm and mackerel 14 cm long before they can be legally caught.

Two boats were recently fined the maximum amount of Rs 2.5 lakh each for catching fish before they had reached the prescribed minimum size.

The Fisheries Department introduced regulations prohibiting the catching of undersized fish belonging to 58 species to protect marine fish resources.

For sardines (mathi) and false trevally (parava), the minimum size has been fixed at 10 cm. The minimum size for kera and tuna is 31 cm, while it is 46 cm for ribbon fish (pampada), 50 cm for seer fish (neimeen), 53 cm for milk shark (paalsravu) and 61 cm for cobia (modha).

Fines range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh, depending on the horsepower of the fishing boat. If a boat is caught committing the same offence again after being fined once, the penalty will be doubled.

Fisheries Zonal Deputy Director V. Sindhu said strict action would continue against boats that violate the government order prescribing the minimum legal size of fish.
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Minimum legal size of fish

Sardine (mathi) – 10 cm

Mackerel (ayala) – 14 cm

Pink perch (kilimeen) – 12 cm

Seer fish (neimeen) – 50 cm

Tuna (kera, choora)– 31 cm

Sole fish (maanthal) – 9 cm

Torpedo scad (vankada) – 19 cm

Silver croaker (kuttan kora) – 15 cm

Reef cod (kalava) – 18 cm

Karikkadi shrimp (karikkadi chemmeen)  – 7 cm

Poovalan shrimp (poovalan chemmeen)– 6 cm

Squid (koonthal)– 8 cm