‘Cut fuel subsidy to big fishing boats’

MANGALURU: A panel constituted by the Planning Department has recommended to the Niti Aayog to slash fuel subsidy given to fishing boats with engine capacities greater than 130 HP. The recommendation follows concerns caused by indiscriminate fishing leading to environmental degradation, which has also hit small and traditional fishers whose catch has been dwindling. 

As per fisheries department data, in 2017-18, Karnataka had 72,559 mechanised fishing boats with HP ranging from 100 to 350. As the fishing intensity increases (horse power of the engine and size of the boat), the demand for subsidy also increases, since the operation becomes more energy-oriented. 
On an average, a deep-sea vessel with greater than 130 HP receives Rs 7.50 lakh as fuel subsidy at the rate of Rs 10 per litre. 

Kota Srinivas Poojary, Minister for Fisheries and Ports on Wednesday said that the Fisheries Policy that the State government is planning to introduce will focus on conservation of fish species for the future generations. While state’s sardine production was 5 lakh tonnes in 2017-18, it came down to just 1 lakh tonne last year, he said. Stating that the draft of the policy is getting ready, he said the policy will be out during the next budget. The government is also planning to hand over lakes to fishing co-operative societies for fish breeding, he said.