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Consensus sought for fishing ban on west coast
>From Devika Sequeira DH News Service PANAJI, Feb 7
The Central government proposes to co-ordinate a consenus for a uniform
fishing ban (during the breeding season) on the west coast of India, and
is calling for a June meeting of the marine states involved to sort out
the issue, Union Minister of State for Commerce Rajiv Pratap Rudy gave
this newspaper to understand today.
The three-month ban, needed to conserve depleting marine resources, has
become a contentious issue between the western states of Maharashtra, Goa
and Karnataka where the law is observed more in breach than in practice.
The matter was brought up at the opening of the three-day International
Seafood Show that opened here today.
"It is a major concern that resources of the ocean are decreasing due to
low conservation measures and over fishing," said chairman of the Marine
Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) K Jose Cyriac. The shrimp
catch had dropped by more than 50 per cent in the last few years, he
pointed out.
Mr M V P C Shastri, joint secretary, Ministry of Commerce told this
newspaper today that attempts would be made to hammer out a consensus on
the ban before this monsoon. "We have no problem on the east coast, or
with the states of Kerala and Gujarat." The problem existed where the
fishing ban period overlapped, he said, and pointed out that the Centre
needed the co-operation of the states to implement the ban.
Nine new laboratories with testing facilities for antibiotic residues in
marine exports are being set up by the government of India in the major
seafood processing centres in India at a total cost of Rs 17 crore, said
Mr Shastri. India's Rs 6,000 crore marine products industry showed a 10.9
per cent increase in seafood exports in 2002, and managed forex earnings
of Rs 3,917.33 for the sector. The USA emerged as the top buyer of marine
products accounting for 28.8 per cent, followed by Japan at 27 per cent
and the European Union at 19 per cent.
India with a total fishery production of 5.36 million tonnes from both
capture and culture, is ranked fourth among fish producing countries. But
it occupies only the 17th position among fish exporting countries in the
world. Mr Cyriac said Rs 12 crore would be spent to launch a co-ordinated
marketing campaign in the USA. The MPEDA and the trade will besides,
participate in 15 major international trade fairs abroad this year.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Thoughts pay no duty.
Martin Luther
