Thoppumpady: Kerala will be the most affected by the ban exercised by America on shrimps from India. An estimated 300 million dollars worth of shrimps are exported from Kerala to America. Brown shrimps, Karikkadi Shrimps and Deep sea shrimps from Kerala are really popular varieties in America.

With the implementation of the ban, the prices of Karikkadi and brown shrimps are expected to plummet. This will turn out to be a huge blow to the fishing community in Kerala who are already facing the heat of financial crunch. The functioning of the fishing boats is based on the money generated by the export of fish. Hundreds of fishing boats from Tamil Nadu are run in Kerala. They land their products in Kerala’s landing centres. This business is also a source of income for a lot of people.

The financial state of Kerala will also be deeply affected by this. The Kerala faction president of Sea Food Exporters Union, Alex Nainan, said they contacted the Central Government immediately when the news of the ban came out and that a solution in this regard is being worked out.

The Director of Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Dr. Ravishankar opined that they have developed a TED system which would avoid sea turtles while catching shrimps and that they are willing to modify it as per the instructions of American experts.

Charles George, president of Kerala Matsya Tholzhilali Aikya Vedi, has called for intervention from the centre in this regard.