KOCHI: The All Kerala fishing boat operators’ association along with their family members will organize a protest march to the office of the fisheries department in Ernakulam on Wednesday.
This is in protest against the decision of the district department not to renew boats, which were due for re-registration.
“Boats which have been operating in these waters for the last several years were being denied renewal. According to the requirement, 12-year-old wooden boats, 15-years-old iron boats and 18-year-old fibre boats have been renewed by the department after testing its fitness. This is being done in other districts. Here officials are coming up with excuses like they don’t have a fitness expert or staff etc. It is a ploy to reduce the number of boats,” said general secretary of the association Joseph Xavier Kalapurackal.
He said that the ports department, which has three zonal offices, has experts and their services could be availed. The association has submitted a memorandum to the chief minister, fisheries minister and industries minister P Rajeeve.
Kalapurackal said that in Beypore, the boats were not being allowed to operate stating that they don’t have codeend nets.
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