This is how fishermen came back to business after 45-days ban in Chennai

Fishermen in Chennai returned with their catch after a 45-day fishing ban on the east coast of India on Wednesday.

An Indian woman arranges fish for drying at a harbour in Chennai. Pic/AFP

Authorities in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu had imposed a 45-day ban on fishing by mechanised vessels to protect marine life, with only 'country boats' operating within five nautical miles off the coast.

An Indian fishmonger chops fish as residents wait at a harbour in Chennai. Pic/AFP

The fishing ban was imposed by the Tamil Nadu government on April 15. During this period, the mechanised boats were barred from entering the deep seas for fishing.

An Indian fisherman pulls a cart loaded with tuna. Pic/AFP

This is the spawning season for fish, during which they release their eggs. As trawlers use fishing nets with small gaps, eggs and young ones would be caught in the net leading to resource depletion which was one of the reason for the ban.

Indian merchants sit next to baskets of fish as they wait for customers at a harbour. Pic/AFP

Now that the ban has ended, fisherfolk were back to their business.