KOCHI: The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to seek the Governor’s permission for an ordinance amending the Kerala Marine Fishing Regulation Act to reduce the penalty and licence fee for country crafts and mechanised fishing boats. The decision was taken in view of the issues raised by fishermen who have been struggling to survive due to the depletion of marine stocks and lockdown restrictions.
As per the current norms, boats with engine capacity of up to 10 HP (horsepower) are fined Rs 10,000 for violating fishing regulations, while crafts with engine capacity of 10-100 HP have to pay Rs 1 lakh. The fine for boats with more than 100 HP engine is Rs 2.5 lakh. The ordinance will divide country crafts and mechanised boats into nine categories and the fine amount for small crafts with less than 10 HP will be Rs 5,000. Only large boats with more than 280 HP engine will have to pay Rs 2.5 lakh.
The ordinance will also reduce the annual licence fee for small country crafts from Rs 4,500 to Rs 3,000. Inboard boats less than 20m long will have to pay Rs 15,000, while the fee for mechanised boats more than 20m long will be reduced to Rs 25,000.“The government had assured fishermen that the licence fee and penalty will be reduced,” Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma told TNIE.
Fishermen unions said the government should waive the licence fee in view of the pandemic. “It is necessary to act tough on destructive fishing practices. Some people are using Gujarat nets that sweep the sea floor, while some are using high-powered engines to reach fishing grounds faster. The length and engine power of the boats should be regulated,” said Kerala Traditional Fishermen Association president P V Janardhanan.
Mechanised boat owners also urged the government not to collect permit fee this year as boats could not be operated. “The state can regulate fishing only up to 12 nautical miles. The Centre has the right to regulate deep sea fishing. We are planning to approach the Union government demanding a uniform licence fee across the country,” said All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association general secretary Joseph Xavier Kalappurakkal.
New rates of penalty for violation of fishing regulations
Engine Fine
power amount
Up to 10 HP Rs 5,000
10-25 HP Rs 10,000
25-50 HP Rs 25,000
50-90 HP Rs 50,000
90-120 HP Rs 90,000
120-150 HP Rs 1.2 lakh
150-200 HP Rs 1.5 lakh
200-280 HP RS 2 lakh
280 HP and above Rs 2.5 lakh
Currently, all boats with engine power of over 100 HP are fined Rs 2.5 lakh