Fishermen under the aegis of Kerala Matsya Thozhilali Aikyavedi (TUCI) has questioned the logic and practicality of the Union government making passports compulsory for Indian fishermen operating in the outer seas in Indian waters.
The government directive that all Indian fishermen operating in the outer seas must obtain passports before June 1 follows close on the heels of a Fisheries Bill, which has also directed all fishing boats operating beyond 12 nautical miles to register with the Union government.
The latest order is a clear instance of the government looking upon fishermen as second class citizens, alleged a statement issued by the Aikyavedi here. The statement also pointed out that obtaining passport was no guarantee that Indian fishermen can enter the territorial waters of other countries.
These orders do not take into consideration the realities behind the Indian fisheries sector, said a statement issued by the Aikyavedi here. The new order has reduced the question of livelihood of fishermen into a law and order issue, the fishermen have said. The statement said that fishermen were not against any government initiative to ensure their safety. All fishing boats operating in the outer seas are registered with the government. There are also decisions to give these boats a uniform colour code and to have their registration numbers clearly written on them. Fishermen also have their identity cards on board all the time. On top of these, asking fishermen to obtain passports is illogical and impractical, the statement said. The decision has been taken without consulting the coastal states and is totally unilateral, the fishermen have said.
There are around 1,99,000 fishing vessels operating off the Indian coast. Fishing boats operating off the Kerala coast, numbering around 3,500, are engaged mostly in the near shore waters.