The Hindu : Kerala News : Government helpless, boat owners told

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 15, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Government helpless, boat owners told

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 14. The Fisheries Minister, Dominic Presentation, today said the Government was helpless to meet the demands of the fishing boat owners.

"How can the Government provide them fuel at subsidised rates, when sufficient kerosene could not be given (at subsidised rates) even for traditional fishermen," he asked, while responding to a question at a press conference here.

Impractical

He said their demand for fixing a `floor price' for fish too was impractical. Fish is a perishable commodity and its price fluctuates from day to day, depending on the demand from exporters.

Mr. Presentation said the boat owners were also demanding that the traditional fishermen too be banned from going to sea during the period of the trawling ban coinciding with the southwest monsoon.

"This just cannot be done. One reason for imposing the ban, apart from the danger it can cause to the fisheries wealth if permitted during the spawning season of fish, is to ensure that the traditional fishermen get some catch for themselves when there is good catch to be had," he said.

He said the fishing boat owners were actually entrepreneurs, who had money to invest in a sector that would bring them profits. They do not belong to the fishing community.

Fishing harbours

Mr. Presentation said Rs. 50 crores had been sanctioned by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) for bettering the facilities in various fishing harbours in the State. This will be utilised to complete the works at Chombal, Munambam, Neendakara, Mappila Bay, Puthiyappa and Beypore fishing harbours.

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