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Udupi : The Purse Seine Fishermen’s Association, has urged the government to allow fishing using lights for Purse Seine boats. The  Union Government had changed rules on usage of lights by fishing boats without taken the Purse Seine Boat fishermen or their condition into consideration.

Addressing media persons at Malpe Bunder here on Tuesday, 13^th March, Naveen Bangera, Vice President of All Karnataka Purse Seine Fishermen’s Asociation said that in the Karnataka coasts there has been the history of 43 years for Purse Seine boats. Other fishing like Deep See Trolling, 370, Bar boats have 22 years history. Since several years, the Purse Seine boats put anchor at dock during three to four months. On this occasion, the Union government’s Marine Product Export Development Authority introduced the technique of light fishing and ordered on 29^th August, 2016 about the light fishing. Hence, the Purse Seine boats owners started the light fishing since then. Likewise in Karnataka coast this type of fishing going on.

Purse Seine boat fishing was one of the different types of fishing practiced by the fishermen in coastal districts. About 88 Purse Seine boats were operating in nine fisheries harbours in the state. More than 35 to 40 fishermen were working in a purse seine boat. More than 5000 families depend on purse seine boat fishing including fisherfolk, unloading, ice plants, vans and other ways. After the ban on fishing during rainy season of almost two months, these workers not working.

It is sad to say that some rich fishermen had indulged in misleading propaganda that light fishing led to fish famine and so on. These rich fishermen submitted a memorandum to the officers of the Union Government on this issue without consulting us. Hence, these officers of Union government had issued an order that prohibiting the use of lights while fishing. The fate of thousands of Purse Seine Boat fishermen are under severe threat. The Purse Seine boat owners’ are taken bank loan for generators and other equipment at an average of Rs. 40 lakhs. The deep sea fishermen and other type of fishermen complained about the destruction of small fish which was totally baseless and misleading. All other states fisher men doing light fishing and only in the Malpe fisheries harbor not able to use light fishing which not acceptable for us, he said.

He said that whichever type of fishing while they using nets, engine power, bull troll, mindlu troll and others, the Union government should bring uniform fishing law applicable to all the fishermen in relate to fishing.

Union Government in the order has banned the light fishing in the EEZ area beyond territorial waters without consulting the stakeholders. In the meeting held on 5^th December, 2017 under the chairmanship of Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister for Fisheries, there was a strong protest against the manner with which order has been issued, without consulting the state governments, Fisheries Research Institues and Fishermen. It was resolved to request Union Government to reconsider the order issued and as such it is difficult to implement in Karnataka state as it may lead to law and order problem. Considering the huge investment made by the fishermen, it is requested to write a letter to Union Government for reconsidering the order issued on 10^th November 2017.

The present conflicts and the resulting crisis illustrates on of the banes of Indian fisheries development, which is of uncontrolled innovations made by fishermen to get higher catches. While innovations in craft and gear will always be made by fishermen in the course of their fishing activities, such innovations should be submitted bu fishers to the fisheries research institutes to be evaluated and vetted with regard to the impacts on marine ecosystem and resources before it is accepted for widespread use. Such a recommendations had been given in the forthcoming Indian Marine Fisheries Code being brought out by CMFRI.

Babu Kulal, Hon President of All Karnataka Purse Seine Fishermen’s Association, Karwar, udupi, Mangaluru. Gurudas Bangera, President of AKPSFA, Karwar, Udupi, Mangaluru, Naveen Bangera, Vice President of AKPSFA, Basha Ahmed Vice President, Ganapathy Mangre Hon Advisor, Ramesh Kundar, General Secretary AKPSFA, Yashodar Amin President of Purse Seine Fishermen’s Association, Malpe, Achyuth Bangera, Hon President of PSFA, Malpe, Nagaraj Suvarna, Vice President of PSFA, Malpe, Chandra Salian Vice President of PSFA Malpe, Rama Suvarna Treasurer, Krishna Suvarna General Secretary PSFA Malpe, Naveen Kotian Secretary PSFA, Malpe, Santhosh Salian, Jagananth Amin, Ramesh Suvarna, Narayan Karve, Jatka Duggappa Mogera, Bhatkal, Shanker Heble and other among were present.