Minister bats for total ban of fishing using lights

Minister for Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Venkata Rao Nadagouda said that a complete ban on fishing using lights in the sea will be implemented.

Chairing a meeting of officials from the Fisheries, Port and Animal Husbandry Departments here on Wednesday, he said, in spite of a ban on fishing using lights, there were complaints on fishing being carried out using lights in some places.

“An order will be issued through the chief secretary to the deputy commissioners of the coastal districts shortly before the beginning of the fishing season next month to implement the ban effectively,” said Nadagouda.

He directed Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis to convene a separate meeting to give directions to the Coastal Security Police and the Coast Guards in this regard.

Floating jetty

On the construction of floating jetty, he said that such jetties are constructed at Goa. A team of officials from the state will visit Goa and submit a detailed report. Only after getting a report on the quality and feasibility of floating jetties, the proposal will be taken forward in the state, he clarified.

The officers of the Department of Ports said the meeting that the construction of a breakwater channel at Gangolli fisheries harbour at a cost of Rs 102 crore was in the final stage. The dredging work at Kodi Kanyana at a cost of Rs 6.48 crore is in progress. Work on the Hejamady port will be taken up at a cost of Rs 139 crore.

Subsidy for fuel

Nadagouda said that subsidised diesel would be provided to the fishermen at delivery point as was being done in the past. The maintenance work of slipway at Baputhota would be handed over to the Malpe Fishermen’s Association.

Legislator Raghupathy Bhat has requested that the subsidised diesel quantity given to fishermen should be increased from 1.5 lakh kilo litre to 2 lakh kilo litre.