Alappuzha: The government's initiative to aid traditional fishermen by deep-sea fishing plans has hit rough waters due to flaws in execution. Funded by both Central and State governments, out of the six vessels constructed, each costing Rs 1.5 crores, only two are actively engaged in deep-sea fishing. The remaining vessels are used for other purposes. A major drawback is the absence of adequate training for deep-sea fishing.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the government has assembled a committee comprising experts from the Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training (CIFNET), Cochin Shipyard, Consumer Affairs, Fisheries, and the  Kerala  state  Cooperative  Federation  for  Fisheries  Development  Ltd (Matsyafed). The committee is tasked with assessing the challenges and evaluating the operational efficiency of deep-sea fishing vessels. The findings will be discussed in the meeting next month.

The deep-sea fishing venture was executed under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, aimed at modernising traditional fishing practices, aiding fishermen struggling with dwindling fish stocks due to climate change, and tapping into deep-sea fish resources. Subsidies amounting to Rs 78.6 lakhs were allocated for each boat, with the remaining financed by loans from the Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC). Two boats each were allocated for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Malappuram. Among the four newly constructed boats, it is decided that two will be allocated to Kozhikode and one each to Malappuram and Thiruvananthapuram.

Addressing the concerns, P M Thajudheen, Joint Director (Project) Fisheries, assured that all boats would be utilised effectively, with plans in motion to convene a meeting shortly to review and resolve the prevailing issues.

Jackson Pollayil, President of the independent fishermen's union ‘Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation’, opines, “Boats should have been provided to fishermen capable of engaging in deep-sea fishing and these fishermen could provide training programs for others in order to be equipped with the same.”