Sate imposes ban on fishing

As the oil continues to spill in the high seas, the state government has issued an advisory asking fishermen to stop fishing activities. The advisory will not affect big trawlers because of the ban on deep sea fishing till August 15.

As the oil continues to spill in the high seas, the state government has issued an advisory asking fishermen to stop fishing activities. The advisory will not affect big trawlers because of the ban on deep sea fishing till August 15.

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“Fish found in the Raigad creek and inter-tidal coastal areas such as Murud Janjira and Raigad are at risk of getting contaminated. These surface level fishes will get affected,” said RK Patil, chairperson, Maharashtra Machimaar Kruti Samiti. With the ban on fishing, Patil added that seafood is also coming from places such as Kolkata, Vizag and Orrisa.

“The city will also soon start getting fish from Goa where the fishing ban period ended on July 31,” said Patil. It’s the breeding and nursing of fry that will be affected by the oil. “There will be an impact if the oil seeps into the sand and rocks, which is the ground for laying eggs. But it is too early to assess the magnitude of the impact on fish,” said Deepak Apte, assistant director and marine biologist, Bombay Natural History Society.