Fisheries stakeholders, who were expecting subsidies for traditional fishermen who operate within 12 nautical miles, were disappointed that the Budget made no such provision for them. Their hopes were dashed further when they realised that Goa does not feature among the five states selected for the setting up of fisheries hubs. “The focus of the Budget is not on fisheries but on commercial-based fishing such as caged culture and all new forms of fish production. Traditional fishermen are disappointed,” vice-chairperson of the National Fishworkers’ Forum Olencio Simoes, said. “There is no clarity on what hub it (the Centre) is talking about, but it appears that it is more for capture fisheries,” he added.
In her Budget speech, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed substantial investments in the development of modern fishing harbours and fish-landing centres. Five major fishing harbours at Kochi (Kerala), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Paradip (Odisha) and Petuaghat (West Bengal) will be developed as hubs of economic activity, she said and added that inland fishing harbours and fish-landing centres along the banks of rivers and waterways would be developed.
Vice-chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry, Goa, Atul Jadhav said the state would have benefited from a fishing hub. “We should have a fishing hub for Goa because we area a fishing state and one of the eight maritime states. If all the associations get together, we can pitch for a fishing hub,” he said. Jadhav’s views were echoed by vice-president of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ralph de Souza. “The chamber would prefer to take up this issue (fishing hub for Goa) with the central government,” he said. A fish exporter, however, said it was expected that Goa wouldn’t be selected for the setting up of a fishing hub as its fish catch is a not even two per cent of that from larger coastal states.
Simoes said the traditional fishing community was expecting fuel subsidies as it has been hit by the Covid-induced lockdown besides several storms and cyclones. “The cost of diesel has skyrocketed and it is becoming difficult for traditional fishermen to venture into the sea. Several subsidies, including for fuel and canoe engines have been reduced,” he rued.