The fisheries department, which had notified life spans for various types of fishing vessels about six months ago, is facing criticism from boat owners for the department’s move on renewal of licenses for 12-year-old wooden vessels, 15-year-old steel boats Is kept. 18 year old fiber boat.
While the All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association, representing the non-traditional sector, in a submission to the state government alleged that norms were being strictly enforced in Ernakulam alone, sources in the fisheries department said the norms were applicable to fishing vessels throughout Kerala. He said the norms were brought in to ensure the safety of fishermen who always faced constant threat to their lives due to weather and sea conditions.
Joseph Xavier Kalapurakkal of the Boat Operators Association alleged that the norms were being implemented only in Ernakulam and the new norms had made marine fishing ventures almost impossible, earning thousands of boat owners, most of them ordinary fishermen. immersed in the struggle. a livelihood.
Mr. Kalappurakkal also alleged that the fisheries department did not have enough personnel to provide fitness certificates for sea-going vessels and also claimed that traditional fishing boats were being spared from the purview of fitness checks. Was.
Fisheries department sources said representations from boat owners were being seriously considered, but denied allegations of bias against attempts to disrupt fishing operations or any group of fishing operators.
Mr. Kalappurakkal said that it would be best to test the sea-worthiness of the fishing vessels by competent personnel, which can be pulled from the port department. He said that this is the easiest way to solve the problem. He said that most of the fishing boats under the department’s oversight were owned by a group of five to six ordinary fishermen who formed a group to earn a living from their fishing ventures.
He said that the marine fishing sector provided employment to about 1.5 million people in the state and earned about Rs 40,000 crore annually.