[Reader-list] Fishermen’s Parliament march on Nov. 21

[T Peter]

Fishermen’s Parliament march on Nov. 21
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/fishermens-
parliament-march-on-nov-21/article9331962.ece

   - SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT


Hundreds of fishermen from all littoral States of the country will observe
World Fisheries Day on November 21 by coming together in New Delhi to hold
a march to Parliament to register their protest against the alleged
apathetic attitude of the Central government towards the problems of the
country’s fisherfolk.

At a press conference here on Thursday, National Fishermen Forum secretary
T. Peter said that though the Modi government had assured a separate
Fisheries Ministry, so far there has been no move to constitute it. With
permit from the Central government, foreign trawlers were ruling the roost
on the Indian waters.

*Ban foreign trawlers*

A ban on foreign trawlers from fishing on the Indian waters had been a
long-standing demand of the country's fishing community. But it continues
unabated.

The community is deeply worried about the rampant trawling of juvenile fish
using destructive fishing methods.

Huge quantities of juvenile fish caught in this manner are mainly processed
as poultry and aquaculture feed, he added.

Mr. Peter said that when outboard engines were introduced into the
traditional fishing sector of the State in the early 1980s, the government
had assured 500 litres of kerosene as fuel a month per permit. But the
quantity began getting slashed to reach just 97 litres a month per permit
now. This hardly meets the requirement of a permit holder’s livelihood
means.

He wanted the permit to be increased to some justifiable quantity.

A.Andrews, district secretary of the Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali
Federation, was also present.

*Protest against the apathetic attitude of the Centre towards the problems
of the fisherfolk*