The State government has plans for major expansion of fishing projects in coastal districts by developing two new fishing harbours at a cost of Rs. 273 crore.
The Fisheries Department has proposed developing a fishing harbour at Kulai, near Mangalore, at a cost of Rs. 151 crore and another at Hejamadi–Kodi, near Udupi, at a cost of Rs. 122 crore.
The department has sent detailed proposals to the Ministry of Environment and Forests to get clearance to take up the work, Minister of State for Fisheries K. Abhayachandra Jain told The Hindu .
Cost sharing The Centre, New Mangalore Port Trust, and the State government would share the cost (75 per cent, 20 per cent and 5 per cent respectively) of building the harbour at Kulai.
The Centre and the State government would share the cost (75 per cent and 25 per cent respectively) of building the harbour at Hejamadi–Kodi.
The Minister said he had promised new harbours for the fishing community in Mangalore and Udupi and the department would make every effort to get environmental clearance from the Centre. Though two harbours were planned several years ago, the previous BJP government did not take the proposals forward, he said. There are eight fishing harbours in the State at Karwar, Tadadi, Honnavar, Bhatkal, Gangoli, Belikeri, Malpe and Mangalore, apart from 19 other fish landing centres.
To provide basic facilities for deep sea fishing, sanction had been accorded by the Centre to construct Mangalore fishing harbour III stage (Rs. 57.6 crore) and another at Malpe (Rs. 37.15 crore). The State government had also given administrative approval for the same and work was progressing, he said.
There are 8.72 lakh people engaged in fishing in the State comprising 3.11 lakh people in marine areas and 5.65 lakh persons in inland areas. A total of 14,847 mechanised, motorised and traditional boats are being operated, according to department officials.
Fish production The fish production in the State was around 2 lakh tonnes in the early 80s and reached a peak of over 5.25 lakh tonnes in 2012–13. The marine and inland sectors contributed 61 per cent and 39 per cent respectively to this. The fish production in the State contributed around 5.8 per cent of the total fish production in the country.
Karnataka ranks fifth in marine production and ninth in inland fish production in the country.
