Scientists, fishermen write to Centre on new deep sea fishing policy

A diversified group comprising fishermen, fishermen’s trade union leaders, boat operators, marine scientists, and political leaders have made a submission before the Union Fisheries Ministry expressing apprehension about the guidelines on utilising high sea fisheries resources.

The submission says though several members of the group responded to the draft guidelines, there have not been any communication from the Ministry on their apprehensions and concerns. It hopes the present memorandum will evoke recognition and action based on the observations.

The group welcomes the current guidelines invoking the conditions for high sea resources conservation and sustainability as espoused by various agencies and instruments. India has also reiterated its commitment to promoting small-scale fishers and providing them livelihood security.

The primary objection of the group, however, is that the draft encourages large corporate capital investment in the sector. “We are not in favour of allowing partnership firms, Private Ltd. companies, Public Ltd. companies, and corporations as players in the fishing sector when the sector is already overcapitalised with traditional/existing fishers.”

“This will seriously impact the livelihood of current fishers. The guideline does not mention the number of Indian-flagged vessels that are already fishing in the ABNJ [area beyond national jurisdiction - beyond India’s exclusive economic zone]. Besides, it does not take cognizance of the precarious state of the major offshore tuna stocks as published by IOTC reports,” says the submission.

The draft guidelines also do not mention the number of Indian vessels in operation in the area beyond national jurisdiction. The “precarious” situation of tuna stocks as published by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission has also not been considered. The tuna commission report cited in the memorandum showed that Bigeye and Yellowfin tuna are overfished while Skipjack and Albacore tuna are at sustainable levels.

The submission, therefore, says, “the provision of allowing partnership firms; Private Ltd. Companies, Public Ltd. Companies and corporations in the sector has to be deleted from the current guideline”.

The submission says India should remain a small-scale fishing nation without operating factory vessels. It says that the prescribed licence fee is too high and has to be reduced and that the number of licences issued to vessels should be regulated on the basis of advice from scientific institutions.

The signatories to the memorandum sent to the Union government include Madhusoodana Kurup, former Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, K. Sunil Mohammed, formerly with CMFRI and working now with Sustainable Seafood Network of India, M. Harikrishnan, professor at the School of Industries Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Joseph Xavier Kalapurackal, boat operator, Charles George, Trade Union Congress of India, Majeed M., All India Deep Sea Fishers’ Association, J. Mercykutty and S. Sarma, former ministers of fisheries, Hibi Eden, and T. N. Prathapan, Members of Parliament, and K.K. Vijayan, former director of the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai.