Karnataka - Mangalore

Industries blamed for fall in fish catch

Photo: R. Eswarraj

Looking forward: J. Krishna Palemar having a look at pearls during a training workshop at the College of Fisheries, Mangalore, on Friday. —

MANGALORE: Minister for Fisheries, Ports, Lotteries and Small Savings J. Krishna Palemar has blamed industries for the reduction in marine fish catch.

Inaugurating a two-day training workshop on freshwater mussel pearl production at the Fisheries College here on Friday, the district in-charge Minister said fishermen were getting fewer fish owing to what he termed the “industry menace.” Mr. Palemar said the Mogaveera community — to which most fishermen belonged — needed alternative sources of income now more than ever before. He said the proposal to train only 20 people in the art of pearl cultivation was not satisfactory. “Train everyone,” he said, stressing that fishermen needed such activities to make up for the losses in their primary trade.

The Minister, however, did not indicate how the industries had affected fisheries.

“Fishermen organisations have been alleging that the release of pollutants from industries on the coastline have affected fish adversely,” he said. The Minister said the Government was thinking of enhancing the quantity of subsidised diesel from 70,000 kilo litres to 75,000 kilo litres and withdraw the four per cent Value Added Tax on ice factories. Fishermen get subsidised fuel for their boats and venture into the seas with a stock of ice to preserve fish caught in the high seas. Announcements regarding this might be made in the budget, he added.

H. Shivananda Murthy, Director (Extension) of the Fisheries College and S.M. Shivaprakash of the the Bidar-based Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, spoke.

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