Newly appointed minister of state for fisheries and youth affairs and sports, Pramod Madhwaraj on Thursday said there is a serious effort to bring about a comprehensive fishing policy in the state.After taking charge on Thursday, Madhwaraj said as a public representative from coastal Karnataka, he’s aware of the problems of the fishing community in the state. “The biggest problem dogging the fisheries department is the fast-depleting fish population. While western countries have been implementing a stringent policy to curtail fishing without permits, in India the law hasn’t been implemented. We need a tough policy to protect various species of fish,” he said. He said, “Implementing a fishing policy only for Karnataka may not be sufficient and requires a nationwide consensus on a uniform policy across states along the nation’s coastline.” Madhwaraj said. He may call a meeting of fisheries ministers across the country to discuss the means to bring about a uniform policy and to understand other states’ approach. He plans to encourage sports persons from financially poor backgrounds.
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