Shedding the concept of collecting user fee in instalments from fishing boats belonging to neighbouring states, the Fisheries Department has decided to go in for a one-time remittance concept of user fee. As per a new directive from the Department, the one-time fee has been stipulated as Rs 25,000, which will have to be paid by the boats from neighbouring states for one year for fishing along Kerala coast. According to officials with the Fisheries Department, the new move might act as a breather for the cash-strapped Kerala Fishermen’s Welfare Fund Board. Earlier, from August 2012, the user fee to be collected from fishing boats from neighbouring states was Rs 15,000 for three months. But, in July 2013, the user fee was reduced to Rs 10,000 for three months. But it has been found that many of the boats from our neighbouring states skipped this directive, which further affected the functioning of Kerala Fishermen’s Welfare Fund Board. The fee collected in this manner is channeled for the functioning of the Board and for other welfare schemes meant for fisherfolk, said an official with the Fisheries Department. Meanwhile, a representative of Kerala Fishing Boat Owners Association told Express’ that the State Government might have to introduce some sort of restrictions on the boats coming from neighbouring states. According to the Association, with the fish resources of the state in depletion, the burgeoning presence of fishing boats from states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu would pose a challenge to the state very soon. In Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, they are restricting Kerala boats. In addition to that, they collect fees under various heads like toll or commission. Fishing in these states is very difficult. But when it comes to Kerala, the fishing boats from these states have a domineering presence. This surge will very soon lead the state to a crisis as our fish resources are depleting at an alarming level, said the representative. When contacted, Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma said that the Government had no plans to impose restriction on fishing boats coming from neighbouring states and that the one-time remittance of user fee would yield the desired results.
2016, The New Indian Express.