Coastal Tamil Nadu will be abuzz with news reports announcing the start of the annual 45 day fishing ban for mechanised boats commonly called trawlers. The reports will also tell us that fish prices may soar due to falling fish supplies. Vindicated as a means to reduce fishing effort and aid conservation, the annual 45 day fishing ban between April 15 and May 31 was ordained in Tamil Nadu in 2001. This restricted fishing period – implemented by the state – was a result of protests and agitations held by small scale fishers to curb nearshore trawling that had been going on for several decades. What does this ban mean for fisheries conservation?