‘Establish separate ministry for fisheries’

The Coastal Karnataka Fishermen’s Action Committee has urged the Central government to set up a separate ministry to redress problems of fishermen.

Committee president Manohar Boloor told reporters at Patrika Bhavan on Thursday that the fishermen were finding it difficult to eke out a livelihood due to the effects of the increase in diesel prices.

“Mechanised boat fishing has become unviable and 50% of the boats are anchored at the ports. The price of diesel has increased by Rs 16.50 in the current fiscal. As a result of increased cess, the fishing boats have been forced to bear with an additional burden of Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 every trip,” he explained.

He said that, at a meeting of traditional fishing boat owners in Goa on October 1, a committee had been formed to draft an action plan highlighting the problems of fishermen. “Although the export of fish is an important source of revenue to the government’s exchequer, fishermen have been hardly benefiting from it,” he pointed out.

Committee general secretary Vasudev Boloor said that the Fisheries Department is currently under the Ministry of Agriculture. “The aspirations of fishermen community has therefore been sidelined. A delegation comprising the members of the committee will soon meet the prime minister, the Union finance and the agriculture ministers with a demand to set up a separate Fisheries Ministry,” he added.

An additional demand to reduce cess on diesel and to provide subsidised kerosene to country boat fishermen will also be placed before the Centre.

Coastal Karnataka Fishermen’s Action Committee vice president Nithin Kumar and general secretary Anil Kumar were present at the press meet.