Fishermen oppose Meenakumari report

Expressing their strong resentment against the Dr Meenakumari Commission report before the scientific community at the World Ocean Science Congress here today, the fishing community of Kerala said implementation of the commission's recommendations would adversely affect their livelihood and lead to their displacement.

Participating in the National Fishermen's Meet held on the sidelines of the event, representatives of various trade unions of the fishing workers said allowing large fishing vessels to enter into the deep-sea fishing territory of the local fishermen would adversely affect the livelihood of the coastal community. The central government had recently decided to implement the report.

A seven-member expert panel headed by Meenakumari had presented its report last August and its recommendations include deploying 1,178 deep sea vessels, including existing ones, and an additional 270 vessels comprising 240 tuna long liners, 15 squid jiggers and 15 purse seiner boats in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).