MUMBAI, July 25 -- With marine fish stocks in rapid decline along Maharashtra's coast, traditional fishing communities are demanding urgent regulatory measures to prevent ecological collapse and economic hardship. On Wednesday, a delegation of fishermen from Maharashtra and Gujarat, representing the Indian West Coast Fishermen Federation, met with State Ports and Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane at Mantralaya. The key demand: extend the ongoing monsoon fishing ban in Maharashtra till August 15 - in line with Gujarat's existing practice. Federation executive member Vinod Patil said Gujarat's extended ban, from June 1 to August 15, has already shown positive results in fish regeneration and promoting sustainable fishing. "Maharashtra's traditional fishermen are increasingly supporting a similar move to protect their future livelihoods," he said. The Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Samiti (AMMS) has also called for stricter enforcement of the monsoon ban, warning that unregulated fishing and inadequate rest periods for marine ecosystems are pushing fish populations to dangerously low levels. Patil pointed out that the first fortnight of August typically brings rough seas and high winds, making fishing risky and leading to loss of life and boats every year. "Extending the ban would also protect the lives of our fishermen during this hazardous period," he added. The delegation also urged the state to take action against illegal fishing vessels and unregistered boats. Discussions included proposals to cancel the licences of boats flouting fishing norms year-round. In a letter to Rane dated July 24, AMMS president Devendra Tandel raised alarm over the shrinking fish population in the Arabian Sea. He stressed that the crisis mirrors international trends in overfished waters, where delays in action led to irreversible damage. Tandel cited global examples of strong conservation policies, including Indonesia's 29-year shrimp fishing ban, New Zealand's nine-month seasonal moratorium, and annual multi-month bans in Saudi Arabia, Kenya, and South Africa. "Even Australia imposed a one-year ban in 1985 and continues to restrict fishing in breeding zones," he noted. Unless Maharashtra takes bold, science-backed steps, Tandel warned, its fish stocks may reach a point of no return. He urged the Centre to adopt stringent marine conservation policies. Later in the day, Rane posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had assured the delegation a proposal would be submitted to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to extend the monsoon ban till August 15....