Deep-sea trawlers resume business as usual

Deep-sea trawlers resume business as usual

‘‘Deep-sea  trawlers  have already restarted the operations in fishing blocks as the Department of Fisheries (DOF) has ended the close season on 1 this month after a three-month ban period,” said U Myint Zin Htoo, deputy director general of the department.

As regards the operation of the trawlers, the second most senior official of DOF said, “Now, trawlers of all the coastal areas of the country has already resumed their business at sea as the fishing season has begun for this year. Our department has lifted the fishing ban in the sea on 1 August after the end of a three-month period. We normally issued the fishing ban during the spawning season for providing growing time for the fingerlings.”  Annually, DOF issued a three-month no-fishing period and this year, it designated the days from 1 May to 31 July as the close season. As

there is COVID-19 infection, the department made a different program for this year. It was worried that if all the fishing boats left and the ports infection risk might be higher. So, in July, the department allowed 50 percent of the trawler force to resume their work at sea.

Five provinces of the country – Yangon Region, Ayeyawady Region, Taninthayi Region, Mon State and Rakhine State – which have coastal areas go fishing at sea annully during the open season. Of the five provinces, Yangon Region, Ayeyawady Region, Taninthayi Region and Mon State are facing the Andaman Sea in the south, while Rakhine State located in the west of the country touches th Bay of Bengal. The total number of trawlers at the five provinces is 3,200 and their all are equipped with vessel monitoring system (VMS) to know their whereabouts.

Thanks to the designation of the no-fishing period, trawlers can enjoy large catches at sea during the open season.

Su Latt