The Karnataka coast remained aloof to the nation-wide fishing bandh observed on Saturday thanks to the lack of communication to fishing leaders here.
The call had been given by the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) against the changes being brought to guidelines governing deep-sea fishing, which they feared would encourage foreign vessels with latest technology to take away a bigger share of the marine resources.
NFF vice-president Vasudev Boloor said no call could be given to fishermen in Karnataka as there was a communication gap. A mail, purported to have been sent in this regard, had not been received here, he said. Consequently, activities at fishing harbours were normal on Saturday. Mr. Boloor, however, issued a press release saying the Coastal Karnataka Fishermen Action Committee, of which he is the general secretary, supported the bandh and backed all the future programmes of NFF.
FDI in fishing
The bandh was against the Union Ministry of Agriculture’s move to invite Indian entrepreneurs with up to 49 per cent ownership by foreign entities to get Letter of Permit (LoP) for deep-sea fishing through the revised guidelines published on November 28. Deep-sea fishing is to be allowed in the Exclusive Economic Zone (waters adjoining between 12 nautical miles from the shore to 200 nautical miles). This, the NFF maintained, would “completely destroy” the lives of Indian fishermen. NFF instead wanted a boost for the Indian fishing community to update the mechanism for deep-sea fishing by giving them the LoP and by providing fuel at cost price.
NFF Chairman M. Ilango admitted that a collective decision could not be taken on the bandh and only a few States such as West Bengal had observed it on Saturday.
Coastal Karnataka Fishermen Action Committee general secretary Vasudev Boloor said on Saturday that under the new guidelines for issuing Letter of Permit (LoP), most of the boats – trawlers or purse seiners – with overall length of 15 metres and above will have to register themselves by paying Rs. 10,000. He said in a press release that this would be an added burden to the fishermen.
However, National Fishworkers Forum clarified that the Centre was planning to issue 287 LoPs to corporates and not to individual boats and no such registration was launched. There was a recommendation under consideration of the Centre that every boat has to be registered and renewed every year. If this is implemented the boat owners may have pay an as-yet unspecified fee.
