Refusal to buy seafood captured locally by exporters has put fishermen in deep soup leading to the demand for cancellation of cubicles sanctioned to them at the Fishing Harbour here.
Almost three-fourth of cubicles are lying unused as the exporters stopped buying shrimp, the most sought-after for export, following rise in demand for vannamei, an imported brood stock which is cultured largely by aquaculture farmers for low investment and high returns.
Industry sources told The Hindu that the reason for their reluctance to purchase locally captured seafood is due to unhygienic conditions prevalent at the Fishing Harbour. The European Union countries are also encouraging import of shrimp from Visakhapatnam.
“Out of 24 cubicles allotted to exporters only a few are under use. We have repeatedly represented to the authorities to cancel the allotment and give them to those exporters who are interested to buy from local fishermen,” Association of Indian Fishery Industries president Y.G.K. Murti said.
While welcoming the recommendation of Sivaramakrishnan Committee on formation of new capital for Andhra Pradesh, he said their stand on location of all important offices of fisheries-related activity in Visakhapatnam had been vindicated.
He sought the location of the office of Commissioner, Director, Principal Secretary of Fisheries, Director of Minor Ports, the proposed AP Maritime Development Board’s headquarters and the zonal office of National Fisheries Development Board in Visakhapatnam.
The city contributes a lion’s share of Rs.30,000 crore of seafood exports from the country – fact admitted by Marine Products Export Development Authority Chairman Leena Nair during a review meeting with the stakeholders on promotion of fisheries in the city sometime ago.
“We want separate ministry for fisheries both in the State and at the Centre, according agriculture status to both marine and aqua sectors, ST status to fishermen, institutional finance, revision of diesel subsidy amount as and when fuel price goes up and upgrading Fishing Harbour into European standards,” say AP Mechanised Boat Operators’ Association president P.C. Appa Rao and Dolphin Boat Operators’ Association president Ch. Satyanarayana Murthy.
