Central aid required to boost deep sea fishing: Kerala CM

Kochi: The Centre should provide "liberal assistance" to boost deep sea fishing, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday.

"The Centre has to provide liberal assistance to boost deep sea fishing by equipping traditional fishermen. Kerala government plans to introduce new schemes for enhancing the skills and capabilities of the traditional fishermen to undertake and popularise deep sea fishing, but assistance from the Centre is required to materialise this plan," he said while inaugurating a two-day conference of fisheries ministers from nine south Indian states and union territories at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) here.

Vijayan also sought the Centre's intervention to develop a holistic plan for the utilisation of resources in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), taking into consideration the requirements of coastal states and union territories.

"The Centre, states and the union territories should act together to agree upon the management policies and measures for a sustainable utilisation of living resources in the EEZ and for the effective and sustainable growth of fisheries sector in every region," the Chief Minister said.

Kerala Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty Amma expressed her concern over the National Marine Fisheries Policy (NMFP), as it pushes for private investments in deep sea fishing and allows public-private partnership (PPP) in the marine fisheries sector.

"The state is of the firm view that instead of the PPP model, the traditional deep sea fishermen must be trained and equipped to undertake deep sea fishing through fisheries cooperative societies," she said.