KOCHI: In the absence of favourable schemes from the state government to eradicate the problems faced in the fisheries sector, fishermen of the state have written to Union Minister for Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh requesting his intervention.
Declaration of Kerala Coast as ‘fish famine zone’, assurance of a financial relief package, implementation of minimum legal size (MLS) and ban on juvenile fishing are the main demands raised by Kerala Matsya Thozhilali Aikyavedi (TUCI) in the letter.
“We had many discussions with state Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma regarding the deep crisis the fisheries sector is in. Though she understood our problems and gave patient hearing to the issues we raised, no action has been taken yet,” said TUCI President Charles George. Distribution of free rations for families of traditional fishers, inclusion of all traditional fishers in the BPL list and declaration of moratorium on all debts borrowed by them are also among the demands raised by the fishermen.