Team Goemkarponn
MORMUGAO:
National Fishworkers Forum General Secretary Olencio Simoes slammed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Minister for presenting Not a single paisa benefit for the small-scale fishers of the country in the Union Budget 2025-26.
Simoes stated that the Union government have made a mockery of the small-scale fishers of this country and has shifted the focus from marine fisheries to non-fishers and aquaculture. The budget focuses only on the reduction in the basic customs duty (BCD) on frozen fish paste (surimi) to 5 per cent from 30 per cent and to reduce BCD on fish hydrolysate for the manufacture of fish and shrimp feeds to 5 per cent from 15 per cent. Fish hydrolysate is an important additive in the feed of harvested fish.
NFF has warned that fishers of the country need to be taken into confidence in enabling a framework for sustainable harnessing of fisheries from the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and High Seas and on the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands. Presently we are harvesting close to 4 million tonnes which is unregulated and juvenile fishing and if the government focus only on the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and High Seas without bringing proper regulation within 12 nautical miles then this could displace all the small-scale fishers of the country, As industrial fishing germinate in the high seas due to high cost of vogues.
NFF stated that the small-scale fishers of this county are in pathetic
Condition on one side the fishers have to face arrest by Srilankan and Pakistan Navy and on the other side the Chinese boat enters the EEZ and takes away our catch from the ocean.
NFF stated due to the non-availability of fish and destructive gear like bull trawling, LED light fishing and so on the fishers are going more deep into the ocean and it is the need hour that the government increase the diesel, Kerosene and petrol subsidies to sustain the traditional livelihoods of the fishers of this country.
Simoes stated that NFF will conduct its conduct 3 day general body meeting in Alibag, Maharashtra from the 13th to the 16th which will be attended by more than 7 state representatives to discuss several burning issues affecting the fishers of the country
