Fishing ships in the port of Vellayil in Kozhikode. | Photo Credit: File Photos
Fishermen’s operators in the State are preparing to protest the alleged negligence by the fishing department when the revised license fee, which allegedly doubled the financial burden of traditional fishermen operating in coastal waters. He claims that demand has been waiting for authorities for more than five years.
“The united license fee is hardly justifiable, especially for boat operators on a small scale, whose daily income is constantly decreasing, due to unfavorable weather conditions and poor catch.
It points out that the surgical area of traditional fishermen on a small scale comes to 10 naval kilometers, but now they are forced to exert 26,250 GBP as a license fee, among other fees set for social care funds and fishing.
According to the leaders of the association, a huge fine imposed in the name of late license fees for “cruelty” in the patient segment. They also complain that coercive units focus mainly on small boat operators.
“Our requirement is to set a license fee according to the size and capacity of the boat engine. Previously, the fee for small fishing boats was only 2,700 GBP, which was secret at 26,700 GBP in an unscientific way,” says Suresh Kavil, a small fishing boat owner from Moodadi. He adds that even a minor change of ships is reflected as a commercial business to impose fines.
The officials of the association claim that they are waiting for the final answer from the fishing department. The bulk petition explaining the impact of a “disproportionate license fee” on a small -scale fisherman has already been submitted to officials.
Meanwhile, the sources in the fishing department claim that a unified license fee has been introduced, which discourages building larger ships on behalf of the support of traditional fishermen. It was also part of the political decision to regulate the size of fishing boats near the coast of Kerala, which cannot be canceled separately, they say.
Published – 31 July 2025 01:59 IS
