Daijiworld Media Network- Udupi (SM)

Udupi, Nov 20: The Malpe Fishermen Association have declared a protest on November 22, informed association secretary Vasudev Saliyan at a press meet at Kidiyoor on Monday, November 19.

The protest will include stopping all fishing activities in the port including small scale businesses like from ice plant owners, fish meal owners, fishermen and fisherwomen, tempo drivers and also workers in the boat.

They are demanding the implementation of the Karnataka Marine Fishing (Regulation) Act 1986 (which states that the State will have complete power to administrate in the 12 nautical miles) and also want a ban on illegal fishing of cuttle fish by Tamil Nadu fishermen.

The rule of prohibiting outside fishermen from fishing within 12 nautical miles in the sea is ignored by the state government while it is strictly followed in Goa and Maharashtra.

Fishermen from Karnataka are made to pay an additional fine if they are caught violating this rule, he claimed.

Saliyan said that usually cuttle fish are found in between rocks and Tamil Nadu fishermen use harmful chemicals to kill the fish, this is another issue that needs immediate attention.

District Commissioner had banned fishing in this area on November 5, 2011 and the government had issued a notification on unscientific fishing of cuttle fish.

They also destroy the breeds by catching the mother squid by ignoring the trolling (57 days) periods.

The fishing boats from Tamil Nadu also indulge in illegal fishing during the banned period of 57 days in the monsoon season, he added

The district administrator has made several attempts to convince the Tamil Nadu fisherman to avoid such situations, but it has been noticed that such situations are repeated regularly, Saliyan said.

The only solution for the entire problem is to fight for justice and hence the protest, he said.

There are nearly 1200 fishing boats in the Malpe-Bunder although it has the capacity to accommodate only 400 boats. These fishing boats from Tamil Nadu are an additional burden. 

Saliyan alleged that the DC is not taking up any initiative to ban these fishing boats.

More than 1.5 lac people are included in the protest and if no measures are taken by the district administration, we will go for a meeting to decide future course of action on November 23, he added.
The protest will be conducted only at Malpe port but all the other districts have given support for the same, he added.


Gillnet Organization Retaliates Against the Malpe Fishermen Association

Nov 20: A counter press meet was called by the Gillnet organization (where most of the employees and employers are from outside Karnataka) against the Malpe Fishermen Association regarding the illegal fishing of Cuttle fish by outsiders (fisherman from Tamil Nadu) on Tuesday November 20.

Vikram, president of the Gillnet association strongly objected the Malpe Fishermen Association’s blame and said “They don’t have any interest in protecting the environment”, if that was the case why only outsiders are not allowed to catch cuttle fish meanwhile they use wide nets to catch it. And the amount of cuttle fish they catch is too large.

The false accuse is because of the wages, he stated. “Malpe association pay their workers Rs 120, while Gillnet pays Rs 180. More over most of the businessmen are not aware of the rate of the fish so they easily bluff them, but we give the product for much lesser prize, this is the reason they want to take us out of their way”, he added

He informed saying, “If we cross the 12 nautical miles limit, the costal guard will arrest us, we never go illegally”.

As per the Karnataka Marine Fishing (Regulation) Act 1986, on  July 9 2012, a regulation ban order for using ‘Chauri’ has been placed and after that Gillnet  has stopped using it.

For the Karavali Fishermen’s benefit, measurement of technical fishing boats and engine power was regulated like for example, a Troll Boat Length should be 15 meters and engine power should be 140 HP and so on.

He said that, more than 250 HP engine power cannot be used for fishing and for such boats a deadline of 6 months time was given to change the engine, failure to do so would result in further diesel subsidies.

Most of the Malpe Fishermen Association have boats that run more than 250 hp, and they are still availing diesel subsidies.

He added on by saying that, “the Malpe Fishermen Association must follow the rule passed by the government and if they continue to cause trouble we will approach the court”.