Call for comprehensive study on fisheries sector

Kochi, May 30 (UNI) Fishermen today called for a comprehensive study on the fisheries sector instead of going for a ritualistic analysis of just monsoon trawling ban in Kerala.

Welcoming the move by the Government to set up an expert panel to study the impact of trawling ban, Kerala Swathantra Malsyathozhilali Federation at a press conferene here claimed that the inland marketing practices were more harmful than trawling.

However, the Federation also favoured a permanent ban on trawling which plundered the marine wealth over the years and left the traditional fishermen always poor.

We must bring in laws to ensure that only traditional fishermen enjoyed rights to fishing impliments as these days non-fishermen owned trawlers and most mechanised boats, besides manipulating the auctions of fish,'' Federation leader Lal Koyiparambil said.

The country's fishing sector, with over Rs 25,000 crore worth internal market and Rs 15000 crore worth exports, needed and urgent comprehensive study, he said.

There are about 5,000 trawlers in Kerala besides 2,000 migrant trawling boats from the neighbouring States of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. As many as 27,000 mechanised countryboats and 28,000 non-mechanised countryboats also operate in Kerala with 2.5 lakh traditional fishermen directly engaged in the sector, according to the statistics.

The Federation also strongly opposed the demand of boat owners for a total ban on fishing during the monsoon, the usual procreation time for fish.

At present Kerala imposes 45-day ban on trawling from June 15, whereas it was 62-day ban during 1988 and 1994.

From the days of 8-hp (horse power) outboard engines, now the countryboats too use 120 hp engines, bringing a sea-change in the sector and necessitated a comprehensive study on the overall level,'' he said.

After meeting with the representatives of fishing boat owners and fisheries workers here, State Fisheries Minister S Sarma yesterday announced setting up an expert committee to examine the impact of the 45-day trawling ban on the marine wealth off the state's coast.

UNI JA DK1438