Myanmar put a three-month stop to the fishing season in the Myanmar Sea from April to June in the 2023-2024 financial year.
SOME fishing trawlers have not commenced operations yet amid extreme weather conditions in the Myanmar Sea, even after the closed season for commercial fishing ended in July.
With the low-pressure cell and strong monsoon, torrential rainfall caused floods in low-lying areas and flood-prone areas. Erratic weather conditions are found in Myanmar coastal areas as well.
“Only large fishing vessels are found in the sea. Squid boats and other small fishing trawlers cannot start operations. Extreme weather conditions left the vessels afloat. The fishing season is likely to be fully operational at the end of September,” a fishing trawler owner said.
Myanmar put a three-month stop to the fishing season in the Myanmar Sea from April to June in the 2023-2024 financial year, and 30 per cent of fishing trawlers were ruled out one month earlier than usual for the local self-sufficiency and export markets.
“Peak breeding season is actually during the June-August period. We rarely see fishing trawlers leaving port in the monsoon season. A fishing ban is now imposed in the open season. We have to put a large capital of K100 million to run fishing operations so we do not leave for sea yet amid extreme weather conditions,” said a businessperson.
There are fishing blocks in Ayeyawady and Yangon regions and Rakhine, Mon and Taninthayi states of the Myanmar Sea. About 1,500 offshore fishing vessels run in Taninthayi Region. Myanmar’s fisheries and seafood are commonly traded in Taninthayi, Myeik and Mawtaung in Taninthayi Region and the Singkhon border in Thailand. — Myint Oo (Myeik)/KK
