Stating that unrestrained permission to fishing vessels may make marine fisheries unviable and endanger livelihood of fishermen, Fisheries Minister Vinod Paliencar has informed that the department of fisheries has prepared State Marine Fisheries Policy, 2017, which will restrict the number of fishing vessels in the state. In a written reply in the state assembly to St Cruz MLA Antonio Fernandes on Wednesday, the minister also said that the department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries of Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has directed all the coastal states to prepare Marine Fisheries Resource Management Plan immediately and advised all the state governments not to consider registration for new fishing vessels so as to support, encourage and ensure sustainable fisheries for continued livelihood support to fisheries. Paliencar informed that the government has decided to allow only two fishing trawlers to be registered in the name of one person and the guidelines in this regard have already come into force from May 3, 2017. The move was undertaken to restrict the number of fishing vessels with an individual fishermen and also to protect the marginal fishermen who may sell his vessel to wealthier fishermen thereby rending him out of the fishing activity and it will create monopoly of certain individuals in fishing, who are financially strong, he stated. The total number of trawlers registered with the department of fisheries in the state is 1104. The Fisheries Minister further said that the department has purchased five mobile fish vans to sell fish to public at 5 per cent above wholesale rate and same have been operating in Canacona, Bardez, Salcete and Mormugao talukas. The department has proposed to purchase additional four Mobile Fish vans, he said, adding the government has a proposal for formation of Fisheries Corporation in order to provide fish to the public at reasonable rate.