Vadodara: A large number of fishermen in Gujarat have kept away from the sea coast with their boats and trawlers following safety concerns after the terror attack in Mumbai last week.
Almost half the number of trawlers across the state are afraid to go into the sea to catch fish, President of the Indian Fishermen Association Veljibhai Masani told PTI today.
According to Masani there are more than 12,000 trawlers and about 20,000 boats engaged in fishing from the sea across the 1600 kms long Gujarat coastal area.
Many fishermen have preferred to remain near the bank and catch fish from their small boats, he said.
Masani said that custom authorities have started demanding additional set of documents from fishermen and owners of the trawlers and boats for verification.
This follows after terrorists used the vessel Kuber to reach Mumbai via the sea route last week.
Officials have also begun questioning crew members of trawlers and boats before issuing passes to find out whether anyone had strayed into the Pakistani waters and had been detained by their Marine Security Agency in the past, President of the Porbandar Boat Owners Association, Jivanlal Jungi said.
Jungi, however, said that fear was not the only thing that was holding the fishermen back.
"It is not only fear that holds them back but an element of economics as well. If they are not allowed to go to the fishing zone area of Jakhau, where good and fine quality of fish are available, fishermen will not prefer to leave their respective harbours," he said.
