The Kerala Fisheries Protection Committee has been constituted to formulate organized programs to address the issues facing the workers in the fisheries sector, including new legislation. The new conservation committee was formed by representatives of various organizations working in the fisheries sector. The committee vowed to work for the welfare of the fisheries sector beyond party politics.
A common minimum program was formulated for the protection of the fisheries sector. It called for the withdrawal of the KMFR Act Amendment Act of 2018, the Fisheries Procurement, Marketing and Quality Management Act of 2021, the Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Act of 2021 and making new laws respecting the views of the fisheries trade unions and stakeholders.
The committee has nominated former MLA V Dinakaran as chairman and Sherry Thomas as convenor. It sought the strengthening of the cooperative movement in the sector and an increase in full benefits under the fishermen’s welfare fund. The fisheries sector should be exempted from the Coastal Regulation Act and the tourism projects should be implemented with participation of the fishermen community, it said.