Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is interested in holding talks with Goa to discuss the decision of banning fish from coastal Karnataka, citing high formalin content and try to find a solution.

Minister for Urban Development U T Khader described the charge by the Goa government as baseless and said if the ban was not lifted, the state would have to take measures not to allow fish from that state into Karnataka.

He said on Saturday that the state fisheries Minister would talk to his Goa counterpart on the issue to find a solution, as the livelihood of fishermen had been affected.

He said the Goa government could have discussed the issue earlier with the state before taking drastic steps like enforcing the ban.

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane ahad earlier said that the ban period could be extended by another six months, if needed, till measures to check the quality of fish are in place in the state.

"Till such measures are in place (to test fish), purchase of fish from other states is banned for six months with immediate effect," Rane had told.

Goa has banned purchase of fish from other states for the second time this year. The earlier ban was for for fifteen days, having been announced by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in July.