The National Fish Workers Forum (NFF) of India today opposed the Dr B Meenakumari report to review the deep sea fishing policy, saying it would cause severe hardship to the fishing community.
The forum also announced a “March to Parliament” programme on April 22 in New Delhi by its members, who would urge the Centre to create a separate Ministry for fishermens’ welfare and to scrap the report.
“The report, if implemented, would cause severe hardship and destruction to the fishing community in the country and hence should be jettisoned,” NFF Chairman M Ilango said in a release.
He said traditional fishing communities of 13 states and Union Territories would have to restrict their fishing grounds to within 12 nautical miles if the report was implemented.
The fishermen would have to then compete with one another for limited resources available in the region, he said.
Fishermen from these states and union territories would participate in the rally to register their protest against the report.
Ilango said the report would cause displacement of fishermen and also seriously affect them.
The Meenakumari report for review of the deep sea fishing policy would be a threat to traditional fishing operations, he said.
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