The Kerala Fish Auction, Marketing, and Quality Control Bill to be presented in the Assembly during the next session seeks to end the exploitation of fisherfolk by middlemen and ensure the quality of fish and seafood products through the entire chain, from the fishing vessel to the end consumer.
The legislation that has been approved by the Cabinet will usher in a big change in the fisheries sector, Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty Amma said here on Wednesday. She said it would ensure remunerative price for fishermen and put an end to the use of hazardous chemicals like formalin, ammonia, sodium benzoate and urea for preservation of fish.
The draft Bill seeks to put in place a system for efficient management of fish landing centres, fishing harbours and fish markets. Management committees comprising elected representatives, officials and members of fishworkers unions would be set up for the purpose.
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A State-level quality control committee chaired by the Fisheries Director would also be set up.
Fish auction would be limited to permit holders and the commission would be capped at 5%. Auction would be held in the order of landing. Ice plants, chilled storage units, pre-processing and processing centres and container trucks used for transportation of fish would also be required to have a permit.
The Bill has provisions to ensure hygienic handling and transport of fish. It prescribes punishment for chemical contamination of fish.
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The Bill empowers the government to appoint qualified officials for inspection of fishing vessels, landing centres, harbours, markets, fish outlets, cold storage units, ice plants, processing centres and vehicles used for transportation.
Violation of the terms for auction and quality control under the Act will be liable for trial by a court and punished with a fine of 1,00,000 or sentenced to imprisonment for two months, going up to a fine of 500,000 and/or imprisonment for one year for repeat offences.