With a fresh season and renewed hope, mechanised boat fishermen from Thoothukudi district and Chinna Muttom harbour in Kanniyakumari district ventured into the sea on Monday after a 61-day fishing ban along the east coast of Tamil Nadu came to an end.

The ban season observed annually from April 15 to June 14, covers the coastline from Tiruvallur district to a part of Kanniyakumari district to safeguard the breeding season of marine resources. The ban ended on Sunday mid-night. However fishermen from Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari began their sailing only in the early hours of Monday.

Thoothukudi district has three fishing harbours each located at Thoothukudi, Tharuvaikulam and Vembar.

According to an official from the fisheries department, of the 233 boats based at Thoothukudi harbour 221 ventured into the sea. Similarly, 243 of 287 boats from Tharuvaikulam and all 29 boats from Vembar resumed fishing operations.

Meanwhile, at Chinna Muttom in Kanniyakumari district, 298 of the 370 boats have ventured into the sea. However, boats from the other two fishing harbours, Colachel and Thengapattinam, as well as the private harbour at Muttom have docked ashore, as the west coast of the district follows the ban season from June 1 to July 31.

Boat owners from Thoothukudi district and Chinna Muttom utilise this period for maintenance and repair works. Before fishing operations resumed, the vessels were inspected by fisheries department officials and clearance was granted.