Fishers protest against proposed ordinance

Criticising the proposed Kerala Fish Auctioning, Marketing and Quality Control Ordinance, a section of boat owners, fishermen and allied workers staged a sit-in protest in front of the Fisheries Department office at Beypore on Monday.

The protesters, owing allegiance to a State-level fishermen’s coordination committee, alleged that the proposed ordinance would double the financial burden on the community.

Addressing the protest, M.K. Raghavan, MP, said the fishermen and allied workers were going through an acute financial crisis, and they would not be able to withstand the hostile provisions in the proposed ordinance. “When other States were offering subsidies for fishers, Kerala is ignoring such needs,” he said.

Kerala Boat Owners’ Association leaders said the proposal to charge 5% of the total auction amount as commission to the government would compel many small operators in the field to leave their job.

Karichal Preman, vice-president, All Kerala Fishing Boat Owners’ Association, said the workers in the sector would be compelled to launch an indefinite strike in harbours against the government’s plan.