College of Fisheries, Mangaluru, has come out with a few proposals to enhance the income of fishermen, who have been witnessing a dwindling fish catch in the Arabian Sea.
The proposals include encouraging them to undertake alternative avocations connected to fishing and using their vessels, which are idle during the fishing holidays, for tourism activities.
The college convened a meeting of fishermen leaders on Satuday and discussed the various options with them.
A. Senthil Vel, Dean, said that fishermen leaders responded positively to the suggestions and were ready to put them in practice with adequate government support.
The college pointed out that hundreds of vessels remain berthed at harbours during the fishing holiday — June and July . These could be put to constructive use, during the period or even during periods when fish availability was low, by temporarily converting them as tourism facilities.
By providing a few beds, clean drinking water, toilets, glass-top roofs, angling facility, and local food, these vessels can become tourism facilities.
They may remain berthed close to fishing harbours. The port area too could be developed to provide entertainment and recreational facilities depicting local culture, including Yakshagana etc., the college also suggested.
Responding positively to the suggestion, fishermen leaders agreed that such an activity could herald an increased economic activities.
However, the port area should be kept clean and tidy to attract tourists. Such a development activity could be taken up under the smart city project, they said.
The college said it would work out a prototype fishing vessel with tourism facilities that could be dismantled during the fishing season. A tourism course too could be offered to the wards of fishermen who can run the temporary tourism facilities.
It also said old boats dumped along the coastal area may be refurbished as cafeterias, coffee shops, sales outlets, shops etc.
Fishermen also agreed to bring back all the plastic maerial they collect during fishing while the local administration has to provide collection facility in the port to reduce plastic menace.
