Karnataka fishing community seeks compensation

Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District Cooperative Fish Marketing Federation President Yashpal Suvarna has urged the Karnataka and Union governments to come to the rescue of fishermen in the coast who are in distress following the lockdown. They have sought maximum amount of compensation for fishermen.

Owing to inclement weather, fishing season had commenced two months late last year. The decline in fish catch has also affected the fishing sector. The lockdown has further aggravated the situation.

There are 4350 trawl boats, 282 purse seine boats, 9652 mechanised traditional boats and 9254 traditional boats that engage in fishing in DK, Udupi and Uttara Kannada Districts. More than 1 lakh fishermen are engaged in fishing in the coastal districts. Owing to the lockdown, deep sea fishing has been suspended since March 20.

Further, ban on fishing will be in force from June to August to facilitate breeding of fish. Therefore, the fisherman community is in distress.

Further, he said tempo, auto drivers, ice plants, fishmeal industries, fish processing units, women fishermen who are dependent on the fisheries sector have come to the streets without employment. There are over 80,000 people who are indirectly dependent on the fishing sector.

The government should instil confidence in fishermen by announcing maximum compensation, facilities given for farmers should be extended to fishermen and the interest on loans borrowed by fishermen should be waived for five months, the community sought.