KOCHI: The fisheries department is reviewing a proposal to increase subsidies for replacing the wooden hulls of old mechanized fishing boats with steel hulls as part of a fisheries modernisation programme. In the Malabar region alone, there are over 500 mechanised fishing boats with wooden hulls, primarily owned by traditional fishers.
The proposal will be evaluated by the working group, and the project is expected to be announced by the end of the month.
Joseph Xavier Kalapurackal, the general secretary of the Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association, said, “The governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu provide subsidies for the modernisation of fishing vessels. As old wooden hull fishing boats are sold at low prices, traditional fishers in Malabar tend to purchase them. It is risky to venture into the sea in these old boats. The government’s decision to provide subsidies for changing the hulls is a welcome initiative. However, it would be even better if the government provided subsidies for phasing out the old boats and purchasing modern vessels.”
According to industry sources, a modern fishing boat can cost around `1 crore, which is unaffordable for many. Therefore, fishing groups resort to buying old mechanised boats from Mangaluru at low rates by pledging their property. While upgrading the wooden boats to steel hulls is a positive step, the maintenance costs can be high due to the age of the engine and equipment, said a fisherman.