The fisheries sector in the state is at crossroads with its traditional matrix witnessing rapid changes marked by dwindling resources and increasing environmental stress. The situation calls for major policy level initiative from the government and other stakeholders in the sector. The fisheries sector calls for a mission mode approach requiring a short and long term perspectives. The need of the hour is the formation of a fisheries commission with professionals as members.
The commission should undertake thorough review of the situation in the sector and develop policy perspective that would address the long-term needs of the sector. As a person in the industry I feel that the state is not taking any measures to tap its natural advantages and develop resources compared with states like Andhra and Odisha. For instance vanamei shrimp has become the major component in the export basket of country with a production of nearly 450,000 tonne in a year. Kerala is yet to realize its potential in this growing area and that calls for major policy initiative from the government.
A survey should be done urgently for identifying the areas that could be brought under the vanamei shrimp farming in the state so that the same could be demarcated for attracting investors. The government should also initiate steps for bringing uniform quality standards for retails fish vendors across the state. The government initiatives, especially budget proposals, have been focusing solely on the concerns of the fishermen commaunity without looking into the overall interest of the whole sector. I am not saying that the government should dilute its concern for fishermen community. But other issues facing the sector also deserve equal and serious attention.
(Author is MD, Abad Fisheries, as told to K.P. Sethnath)
