Boat owners under the aegis of All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association have reiterated their appeal to the government to reconsider what they called “huge hike ‘‘ in the licence and registration fee on boats more than 15 metres long. The fresh hike in the fees was brought about following the amendment of Fishing Regulation Act 2018, said Joseph Xavier Kalapurackal, general secretary of the association here.
The boat owners were expected to pay ₹2,000 for both licence and registration before the amendment of the Act. Fishing boats in operation also continued to renew their license after paying the same amount. However, the rate has now been hiked to ₹26,250 as licence fee for a year. Mr. Kalapurckal said that fishing being a seasonal occupation lasts six to seven months a year. “The 15-metre boats go fishing with six crew to a depth of around 12 nautical miles in the sea. It serves as a livelihood for the community rather than being solely a business endeavour. And, on many days, they return empty handed after spending substantial money on fuel and other expenses involved on a fishing venture,” he added.
The boat owners alleged that no studies had been carried out to see whether the fishermen are capable of paying the new fees rate for licences. Over the last four years the fishing scenario has completely changed due to several factors, including climate change, COVID-19 breakout, frequent cyclonic storms, and the floods in 2018, the owners claimed. The fishing boat operators also said that nine other coastal States are more lenient and considerate towards their fisher population, charging only ₹500 per fishing trip as licence and registration fee.
The State government has also resorted to imposing big penalties on boats for delay in remitting licence fee. These fees are imposed in the background of the fact that each of these small boats earns only around ₹2.5 lakh a year on fishing expeditions. Under these circumstances, the boat owners have said “there is no justification for the abnormal increase of the licence fee.” Fishermen said It was arbitrary, as they requested the government to assuage the fears of the boat owners.