more-in The first set of recommendations included in a proposed bill for the revival of Kerala’s fisheries sector was discussed by leaders of fishermen’s organisations and stakeholders at a regional meeting here on Wednesday, with focus on streamlining the existing fish auctioning system and the introduction of special permits for preventing unlawful trade. At the meeting, fishermen’s organisations from various parts of north Kerala stressed on the need to control all unauthorised, off-the-coast auctions and trade deals without bringing the day’s catch to the harbour or other approved fish landing centres. They unanimously supported the existing recommendation in the bill on implementing a special permit system that aims at reducing the role of middlemen in the sector. Fisheries Deputy Director (in charge) B.K. Sudheer, who was present among other officers to coordinate the meeting, told The Hindu on Wednesday that the discussions were fruitful as only some agents resisted the recommendation during the open forum. “It was the first round of open forum conducted in Kerala on the proposed bill and similar meetings will be held in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram districts in two weeks,” he added. At the meeting, the representatives of various fishermen’s organisations stood by their demand to hand over the authority to conduct auctioning only to those recommended by the Fishermen Marketing Societies. The committees should be formed with the participation of senior Fisheries Department officers and people’s representatives, they demanded. Mr. Sudheer said the recommendations in the bill to introduce more checking facilities at the Kerala check-posts were also discussed at the meeting. “The participants were all in support of the idea as chemically contaminated fish items were found to be sold in the market, raising serious health concerns,” he said.

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