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Fishermen oppose Meena Kumari report at World Ocean Congress

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Kochi, Feb 5
Expressing their strong opposition to the Dr B. Meena Kumari Commission Report at World Ocean Science Congress (WOSC-2015) being held here, the fishing community of Kerala Thursday said implementation of its recommendations would adversely affect their livelihood and will lead to their displacement.

Participating in the National Fishermen's Meet held on the sidelines of the WOSC-2015, the representatives of various trade unions of the fishing workers said that allowing large fishing vessels to enter into the deep-sea fishing territory of the local fishermen will adversely affect the livelihood of the coastal community.

The report, among other recommendations, calls for a 200 metre to 500 metre depth buffer zone where Indian fishermen will be prevented from fishing, encouraging foreign staff in Indian vessels and allowing foreign fishing vessels in Indian waters.

Speaking on the occasion, Vijnana Bharati secretary general A.Jayakumar said the government should consider putting in place a special insurance system for the fishing community, given the challenges and risks that they face while going for deep sea fishing.

"A strategy to resolve the issues faced by the coastal community has to be formulated here and then it should be submitted to the central government," he said.

The fishing workers' representatives also stressed on the need for greater interaction between the researchers and the fishing communisty to help improve the livelihood of the fishing community.

During the interaction, the panel comprising experts from the field of maritime technology and services urged the fishing community members to give suggestions and feedback on the services rendered by various institutes so that they can serve them better.

They also stressed that an effective merger of traditional fishing techniques and the state-of-the-art technologies will help the growth of the fishing sector.

The experts' panel comprised Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) director K.K.Vijayan, K.V. Jayachandran, director of School of Fisheries Resource Management KUFOS and a few other experts.

The researchers, during the meet, introduced various technologies and scientific techniques developed to help the fishing community to locate ideal fishing spots, stay alert on climate changes and changing fishing patterns.