Kerala - Kozhikode   

Manifestos have let down fisheries sector: study

Staff Reporter

`Prepared without understanding the contemporary scenario'

KOZHIKODE: The United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) have not based their policies on comprehensive development of the fisheries sector, a study says.

Both the fronts, in their election manifestos, have failed to take into account the needs of the fishing community and the region; nor have they addressed the real issues facing the coastal belt.

Many of the suggestions on the fisheries sector mentioned in the election manifestos have already been initiated, though not at the desired level, it says.

The detailed study, carried out by the Malabar Coastal Institute for Training Research and Action (MICTRA), on the `Problems of coastal areas and election manifestos' seeks a new approach to the sector, and suggests measures for comprehensive development of the coastal belt in the State.

The study says that the UDF manifesto, at best, is confined to implementing welfare measures for the fishing community, such as housing, educational assistance and creation of employment opportunities in the fisheries sector.

The LDF, in its manifesto, however, has highlighted the need to pressure the Centre to cancel the licence of foreign trawlers. It also seeks to initiate an entrepreneur scheme for deep-sea fishing.

The Left manifesto also dwells on the impact of tourism development on the fisheries sector, and the need to protect the interests of the traditional fisher-folk.

The manifesto also undertakes to initiate measures to prevent the pollution created by water tourism.

The Bharatiya Janata Party manifesto is silent on the fisheries sector.

The study highlights the fact that the manifestos have been prepared without understanding the contemporary scenario in the fisheries sector. The changes taking place in it globally have not been incorporated in them.

The political parties have failed to include the benefits of modern technology for the fisheries sector, and issues such as investment, debt relief, exploitation of fisher-folk by middlemen, employment diversification, and coastal-area protection have not been addressed by both the fronts.

The study also enumerates the demands raised by leaders of the fishing community on different issues affecting the sector.

The fisher-folk wants information on the details of how the tsunami fund collected by the Government and non-governmental agencies has been spent.

A suggestion has also been made by them that a study be conducted on the effect of the tsunami on the sea and the coastal areas. The employment guarantee scheme of the Centre should be extended to the fisheries sector, the study says.

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