The number of vessels recommended by the State Fisheries Department for subsidised kerosene supply has come down by more than 1,500 across the State compared to 2015 when the last estimate was taken. Fishers’ unions said the fall could be attributed to diminishing returns from fishing expeditions as well as stricter rules being implemented by the government, which said only vessels 10 years old or less would be eligible for consideration for supply of subsidised fuel supply.
A total of 14,169 vessels have been recommended for subsidised fuel supply in the inspections held on February 27, which is a big fall from 15,678 in 2015 when the last count was taken. Though Ernakulam district has seen a substantial rise in the number of vessels recommended for subsidised kerosene supply, fishers said there was a big fall in returns from fishing ventures.
The district has seen the number of vessels being recommended for subsidised kerosene supply from 250 in 2015 to 493 this year. Jackson Pollayil, a fishers’ union leader of the Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation, an independent union, said the increase could be attributed to new investments as well as expectations of better returns in the future. However, he said the plight of traditional fishers continued to be dogged by a fish drought-like situation.
He said fishing was now more and more marked by more expenses to catch less. Each expedition was more costly while the returns were much less, he said, pointing to the cost of fishing ventures and the diminishing returns.
Fishing union leaders such as Charles George of Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedi had called for a special kerosene package for the sector considering its vast contribution to the export business of the country. He said the recent rise in the price of diesel on account of the agriculture infrastructure and development cess could hurt the fisheries sector.