With an aim to boost marine fish production, the Karnataka government is planning to expand and modernise three of its fishing ports on the west coast. The state department of fisheries has drawn up an action plan to expand the fishing ports at Mangalore, Malpe and Honnavar at an estimated cost of Rs 178 crore.
Karnataka is the seventh largest fish producer in the country. In 2008-9, the state produced 361,854 tonnes of fish valued at Rs 1,395 crore.
The department is seeking funds from the Centre under the centrally-sponsored schemes for taking up the expansion-cum-modernisation of these fishing ports. About 75 per cent of the cost will be borne by the Central government, a senior official in the fisheries department said.
“The fishing ports at Mangalore and Malpe are overcrowded as there is a huge growth in the number of mechanised boats. The fishermen at Honnavar are facing difficulty in entering the sea due to the regular siltation of Kali river. So, there is an urgent need to expand these ports,” Gangadhar Maddikeri, joint director, department of fisheries, told Business Standard.
He said the government of India had commissioned a preliminary study to ascertain the feasibility of expanding these ports by the Standing Evaluation Committee (SEC) in 2007. Based on the committee's recommendations, the Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fisheries (CICEF), a government of India organisation, has prepared a draft Comprehensive Development Plan for the three ports.
Subsequently, the executive engineer of the department of ports has estimated the costs for the expansion of each of the ports; Rs 65 crore for Mangalore; Rs 65 crore for Malpe and Rs 60 crore for Honnavar ports.
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Maddikeri said the department has already got the clearance from the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) for compliance under the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) norms for all the three projects. Presently, the detailed project report and the economic analysis are being prepared by CICEF for each of the three ports. “We expect the final approval from the Centre to come by June-end for these projects and the work is likely to start by the end of this year,” he said.
Presently, Mangalore fishing harbour handles 438 mechanised boats and post expansion, it would cater to 1,850 boats. A new quay (wharf) measuring 891 metres will be built. It will have six gear sheds, six net mending sheds and four fishermen rest houses, boat repair shops and two restaurants.
At Malpe, the department plans to take up the third phase expansion, which includes construction of a 1,200 metre long quay and for dredging. It will have three boat repair shops, two net mending sheds, rest house, restaurant and radio communication centre. This port, which presently accommodates 856 boats, will cater to 1,470 boats after the expansion.
At Honnavar, which is facing frequent siltation in the Kali river, the department proposes to expand the berthing facility to accommodate 220 boats. It is proposed to create a navigational channel of four metres depth, 503 metres long quay and 450 metres long breakwaters. In addition, an auction hall, two gear sheds and three net mending sheds, restaurants and boat repair yard are also planned.