The state government has amended the fish drying platform scheme to give the platform to the traditional fish dryers at Rs 1,000 per platform per year.
In August 2021, the directorate of fisheries notified that fishermen who, since 2015, have been paying a nominal lease amount of Rs 100 per year for using a 100sqm platform to dry fish at the government facility will have to pay a whopping Rs 3,000 annually.
The newest amendment therefore drastically reduces the rent. The notification also reads that the applicant shall also pay the security deposit of Rs 1,000 per platform.
Traditionally, fishermen dry the fish in open sun but often such a method is vulnerable to dust, rain, and attack from insects, pests and microorganisms, therefore compromising on the quality.
Solar powered fish dryers do not require electricity connection but run on the power of the sun generated through a solar panel to dry the fish. Using this method, fish are preserved by removing moisture from them, thereby arresting the growth of bacteria, action of enzymes and chemical oxidation of the fat.
The eco-friendly device helps convert the surplus fish coming in during an over catch into dried fish.