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Time of India

Fishers seek investigation and compensation

Kochi: The Kerala Fisheries Co-ordination Committee called for a comprehensive investigation into the two ship accidents that took place off Kerala's coastal waters in the last few weeks. Chairman of the committee, T N Prathapan, said compensation should be given for the huge loss to the fisheries sector. He mentioned that both accidents occurred in the Malabar upwelling region, one of the world's top five fishing centres, which supplies 90% of the world's oil sardines and 95% of India's mackerel. These fish are sensitive to even minor climate changes. "The sardines, which disappeared in 2012, have shown signs of returning since 2022, but they are still being caught in small quantities. Since April this year, good rains started and the sardines have been thriving on plankton. It is in this context that the ship accidents occurred," he said. The MSC ELSA-3 ship with mysterious origins sank near Thottappally, close to the unique phenomenon of the Chakarapattu near the Kollam Bank. Debris has torn the nets of many vessels. When the Express Pearl ship sank near Colombo port in Sri Lanka in 2021, the spread of its plastic nurdles had severe consequences. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Adidas Three Shorts With 60% Discount, Limited Stock Available Original Adidas Shop Now Undo Currently, with the water flow southward, nurdles are scattered up to Kanyakumari. When the flow reverses northward, the nurdles trapped in the rocks will spread throughout Kerala, the committee said in a statement. "The chemical waste that entered the waters must be removed urgently. Adequate compensation, not just a token amount, should be provided to the fishermen. Our demand to move the shipping lane 50 nautical miles away was rejected by the central govt, reducing it to just 50km, without addressing environmental concerns. Adequate compensation should be collected from the shipping company, as mandated by various international conventions. The court also stated that the shipping company, not the govt, should provide compensation," the committee.