The Hindu : Kerala News : Excess vessels for deep-sea fishing

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala

Excess vessels for deep-sea fishing

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fisheries Minister S. Sarma said here on Tuesday that fishing vessels, which were in excess of requirement on the coast, would be modified for deep-sea fishing.

Boats that are more than 20 metres in length could be converted for deep-sea operations. A project would be drawn up for implementing the proposal. In an article released for publication, the Minister said the exploitation of deep-sea fishes would help to increase catch and achieve the targets of the master plan for the fisheries sector. The plan targeted increase of marine fish production from 5.7 lakh tonnes to 7 lakh tonnes in 10 years.

Mr. Sarma said experts in deep-sea fishing would give the fishermen training.

Information centres

Information centres would be set up in all the nine coastal villages to provide information on movement of shoals, weather and market prices besides announcement of warnings. Fishing vessels would be fitted with beacons that could help in rescue operations, with the help of Indian Space Research Organisation.

Use of liquefied petroleum gas and diesel as fuel in place of kerosene would be encouraged to bring down costs. Diversification would be introduced along with expansion of the area in the inland fishing sector to increase production from 75,000 tonnes to 2 lakh tonnes.

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