KOCHI: The fishing community has expressed strong resentment over the Dr Meena Kumari Commission Report at the World Ocean Science Congress (WOSC-2015) here on Friday.
Members of the fishing community said that implementation of the Commission’s recommendations would adversely affect their livelihood, and lead to their displacement.
At the National Fishermen’s Meet held on the sidelines of the WOSC-2015, representatives of various trade unions in the fisheries sector said that allowing large fishing vessels to enter the ‘deep-sea fishing territory’ of the local fishermen would affect the livelihood of the coastal community.
Speaking on the occasion, Vijnana Bharati secretary general A Jayakumar said that the government should consider putting in place a special insurance system for the fishing community, given the challenges and risks they face while engaged in deep-sea fishing.
He urged the representatives to chalk out a strategy to resolve the issues faced by the coastal community and submit it to the Central Government.
The fishing workers’ representatives also stressed the need for greater interaction between the researchers and the fisher folk to help improve the livelihood of the fishing community.