[Reader-list] 'Shun Report on Fisheries'

[T Peter]

'Shun Report on Fisheries'

By Express News Service

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/%E2%80%98Shun-Report-on-Fisheries%E2%80%99/2014/09/17/article2434331.ece

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Union Government should not go ahead with the
implementation of the Dr Meenakumari Report on fishing sector, the Kerala
Swathanthra Matsyathozhilali Federation state committee has demanded.

 Inaugurating a workshop on deep sea fishing policy, organised by the
Federation in association with National Fishworkers' Forum and Association
of Deep Seagoing Artisanal Fishermen in the city the other day, Labour
Minister Shibu Baby John opined that implementing the report will bring the
fisheries sector in the state to a major crisis and hence the Centre should
not approve the report.

 Implementing the report would adversely affect the fisheries sector in the
state, he pointed out, adding that it's time the traditional and
small-scale fishing sector in the state are modernised to give a fresh
impetus to the fisheries sector here. Fishermen organisations in the field
should come up together against Dr Meenakumari report.

The state government would take all possible steps to convince the Union
Government on the concerns raised by the fishermen. Traditional and
small-scale fishermen should be encouraged for deep sea fishing while
foreign vessels would be asked to stay away from this sector, Shibu Baby
John said.

 Presiding over, National Fishworkers' Forum secretary T Peter said any
attempt to prevent fishermen from carrying out their livelihood activities
would be opposed.

The forum would organise protests at the national-level against this, he
said. D Sanjeev Ghosh and Vince Jain presented resolutions at the workshop.
S Raveendran Nair, Joseph Xavir Kalappurackal, Neythil Vincent, V K
Madhusoodanan, Satheesh Babu, Fr Mathyas Oliver, P P John, Anto Elias, V
Romance and Jackson Pollayil also spoke
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