Centre may consider subsidy for turtle extruder devices in fishing nets, says George Kurian
Proposal being considered in view of a U.S. government ban on Indian wild-caught shrimp because the U.S. maintains that Indian fishing practices endanger marine turtles
The Union Minister of State for Minorities and Fisheries George Kurian said here on Saturday that the Union government may consider providing subsidies to trawl boat owners under the Prime Minister’s Matsya Sampada Yojana to install turtle extruder devices (TED) in fishing nets.
The proposal is being considered in view of a U.S. government ban on Indian wild-caught shrimp because the U.S. maintains that Indian fishing practices now endangered marine turtles.
Mr. Kurian, addressing a press conference here, said that tests on TEDs are being held in the country and once completed to the satisfaction of the U.S. government department concerned, the government can consider providing subsidies to the fishing boat owners.
The Minister said that the Union government had subsidised or funded even bigger projects in the fishing sector in the past and the TEDs can be considered on the same line.
Boat owners’ plea
Fishing boat owners have appealed to the government to provide subsidies for TEDs because trawling boats use more than one net for fishing operations. Fitting each of them with TEDs will prove expensive, involving substantial investment at a time when fishing operation margins are falling steeply.
The vast majority of about 3,500 trawl boat owners have expressed willingness to try out TEDs and sought a year’s time. Their willingness was expressed at a recent workshop organised jointly by the Marine Products Export Development Authority and the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology.
It is learnt that a pair of TEDs developed by CIFT have been approved by the US agency concerned and the fishing community is being familiarised with the use of TEDs.
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