The All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association has called for a strike. Fishing boats from across the state stayed off the waters on 15th February. The strike was called over the withdrawal of ‘undesirable regulations’ and increased prices.
The strike will continue should the government fail to intervene. Their demands include a subsidy on diesel and correcting the Kerala Marine Fishing Regulation (Amendment) Act. Joseph Xavier Kalapurackal the general secretary of the association said that about 3,800 mechanised boats and trawlers which employ more than 45,000 workers will keep off the seas until their demands are met.
The hike in diesel prices is said to have negatively impacted the industry. This doesn’t help said Joseph Xavier because a boat needs 3000-5000 litres of diesel on an average. The association President Peter Mathias said that the sector was still trying to recover from demonetisation and GST. The Fisheries Department was also a cause of their worries because they were troubling the operators as juvenile fishing. Joseph Xavier said that the authorities were only allowed to penalise fisherman on the grounds of juvenile fishing if juvenile fish constituted more than 50% of the catch. This also doesn’t help when fish are migratory and that means it’s only when they are in the fishing zone that they can be caught. Moreover, the fines have been raised from 25,000 rupees to 2,50,000 rupees.
The association is looking to have their demands met by Saturday. They are also organising a march to the secretariat as part of the strike. Peter Mathias also said that opting for an indefinite strike will affect the livelihoods of the fisherman. It has also been said that fisheries officials were charging the fishermen on the account of meeting their monthly targets. It’s not about changing the laws to suit the fishermen but to have laws that are fair and benefit everyone.