In the year 1959 a planned development of Fisheries was started in this Union Territory with the aim of achieving a sustained growth in the economy by exploiting the natural resources hither to untouched and to open up a way for permanent employment of infrastructural facilities and transfer of technology, particularly that of effective pole and line tuna fishing from Minicoy. Like other department, the department of Fisheries itself commence functioning in Minicoy during the year 1960.
The Department has provide the following Pre-Requisite and infrastructural facilities for the development of Fisheries Sector in Lakshadweep. The principal objectives of the directorate of Fisheries are planning and developing of landing, berthing, distribution and marketing of fish extending financial assistance and coordinating the program for supply of the input and providing training and improving the economic condition of the fisherman. To achieve these objectives Directorate of Fisheries has initiated different schemes relating to.
Mechanization of Fishing Crafts
Marine Workshop
Supply of HSD Oil on subsidized cost
Selling of Spare parts for various types of Diesel Engines, Out Board Motors, Boat Building materials and Fishery Requisites etc.
Registration of Fishing Vessels and issuing Fishing License under Lakshadweep Marine Fishing Regulation 2000.
Aim and Objectives:
To promote Capture Fisheries in the island by utilizing all the available resources to boost fish production in the State.
To adopt latest technology of Fish harvesting and motorization of crafts.
Formulation and implementation of various Developmental Schemes and Programmes with prime objectives of enhancement of fish production aiming the improvement of socio-economic condition of the fisher folks.
Augment fish production and to create employment opportunities.
To propagate Fish Culture in Private Sector to provide avenue of earnings to the educated un-employed youth.
To provide better marketing facilities to the fishermen to eliminate the role of middlemen.
To Introduce Welfare Schemes for upliftment of Fishermen Community.
To take effective measures to prevent entry of outside boats in the territorial waters of Lakshadweep for fishing by effectively enforcing Marine Fishing Regulation.
Achievements:
Provided Financial Assistance of Rs. 70,30,115/- towards the construction of fishing boat by the fishermen.
Provided Financial Assistance of Rs.13,02,478/- for Renovation of Fishing boat to 8 beneficiaries.
Reimbursed 50 % Subsidy towards the procurement of Deep freezer to 26 beneficiaries.
Reimbursed 50% Subsidy towards the construction of Mass making yards to 45 beneficiaries.
Provided financial assistance of Rs.23,35,703/- to Boat owners who has lost/ damaged their fishing craft during okhi cyclone Hit.
Uninterrupted Supply of HSD oil/Lub oil to the fishermen.
Supplied of life saving appliances i.e, 550 Nos Life Jackets and 152 Nos of Life Buoy on free of cost to active fishing vessels.
Supplied 150 Nos of Fish Basket and 150 Nos of Crates on free of cost to active fishermen.
Supplied of Navigational equipments (GPS) to 13 fishing boats, DAT to 17 Nos Radar Reflector to 20 Nos of active fishing boats.
Conducted seminars and workshops on coastal security & Safety of fishermen at sea in every year in consultation with coast guard and coastal police.
Implementation of various centrally sponsored schemes like “Blue revolution and Pradhan Mantri Mastya Sampada Yojana).
Deployed 5 Nos Fish Aggregating Devices.
SUPPLY OF MECHANIZED BOATS ON SUBSIDY UNDER HIRE PURCHASE SYSTEM
The Department has been formulating and implementing various developmental programs. The major and important program was the mechanization of fishing by introducing Mechanized boats. Tuna is the only abundant resource of the sea around Lakshadweep on which now the Fisheries Development is established. Specially designed mechanized boats have been introduced for catching tuna using the typical method of “Pole-and line live bait Fishing”. Under this program such type of fishing boats have been constructed/ procured and supplied to the fishermen on subsidy under hire purchase system. The present pattern of subsidy allowed is 20% on the cost hull and the 25% on the cost of engine. So far 503 mechanized boats of 25 feet 30 feet and 34 feet such type of boats and 7 nos of 38 feet boats have been supplied to the Fishermen. Besides these, boat building materials procured for the repair and maintenance of the fishing boats are also supplied to the fishermen. Fishing in Minicoy is tuna oriented and the introduction of pole and line bait fishing is a milestone in the fishing community of the Island.
No. of boats between 19 feet to 30 feet : 9 nos.
No. of boats between 30 feet to 45 feet : 50 nos.
No. of traditional craft fitted with & with outboard engine : 126 nos.
SUPPLY OF INBOARD ENGINES, OUT BOARD MOTORS AND NAVIGATTION EQUIPEMENTS UNDER HIRE PURHASE SYSTEM.
This is another developmental program implemented in support of the first program. Under these program marine engines and out board motors are supplied at full cost under hire purchase system to the fishermen by the Department. The inboard engines are supplied for the replacements of old and irreparable engines of fishing boats acquired by the fishermen earlier, the engine of which became irreparable in long run and for installation in the new mechanized boats constructed by the fishermen themselves. Out board motor are also supplied at full cost under hire purchase system to the traditional fisherman for the motorization to the country crafts used for fishing. Besides these, Navigational Equipments like Global Positioning System (GPS) and Very High Frequency (VHF) communication sets are also supplied at full cost under hire purchase system as Navigation Aids. The table below gives the details on supply of inboard engines and out board motors.
Period
Inboard Engines
out Board Motors
VHF
GPS
2000-2009
5 Nos.
11 Nos.
6 Nos.
2 Nos.
2009-2019
5 Nos
30 Nos
NIL
76 Nos
It is known fact that the Department of Fisheries supplying Boat Building Materials to the Village Moopans of Village House and constructed Mechanized boats by the respective Village House and the same is allotted to the Moopan under Hire purchase system. Total no of mechanized boat constructed 5 number in this method is the recent past.
The implementation of the above program had great impact in fish production. The fish catch during 1960's when the planned development program started is hardly 90 tones caught by primitive methods of fishing. Now on an average basis the fish catches has been increased to 1605 tones/year. The fish landing in Minicoy from 1999 to 2009 are shown below
Year
Total Catch
1999
2302.220
2000
1056.470
2001
1143.463
2002
1821.685
2003
2400.413
2004
2085.148
2005
2527.022
2006
2308.630
2007
2448.623
2008
3470.670
2009
3667.211
2010
2426.200
2011
2419.186
2012
1886.351
2013
1404.426
2014
2800.361
2015
4067.017
2016
2502.962
2017
2574.741
2018
2125.960
2019
REPAIR AND MAINTANANCE FISHING BOATS.
The Department has established one Marine fisheries works shop with all machineries and tools for repair and maintenance of fishing boats in all fisheries units. The incidental and annual repair and maintenance of these boats are carried out in the workshop collecting a nominal repair charge and undertaking the dept. boat repairs as well. Besides these, all the spare parts of various types of Marine Diesel engines, Out Board Motors, materials required for maintenance of boats are also supplied to fishermen by the department.
SUPPLY OF H S D OIL, LUB OIL, ENGINE SPARES AND OTHER ITEMS.
The supply of H S D oil to the boat owners been carried out by the department of Fisheries from the very beginning. The increasing price of HSD oil with the frequent hike was beyond the reach of Lakshadweep fishermen. In order to help them out of this difficult situation, a scheme was formulated. Under this scheme an initial subsidy of 30 paise was allowed on the purchase of each litre of HSD oil. Department is supplying HSD oil on subsidy with the existing terms and condition. Lub oil also supplying to the boat owners beside these all the Supare parts of various types of Marine Engines, Out board motors, boat building materials, boat maintenance materials, Fishery requisites etc are also supplied to the fishermen by the department from this Unit on all working days.
LAKSHADWEEP MARINE FIHING REGULATION L 2000.
Lakshadweep Marine fishing Regulation 2000 the Marine Regulation 2001 have been implemented vide notification No. 19/11/99 dated 28/11/2000. Lakshadweep Marine Fishing Regulation 2000 (LMFR) came into force in the year 2002 with the view of conservation of marine fishery resources and to prevent the entry of foreign vessels to carry fishing operations in our waters. Under this act each state is permitted to frame the rules and regulations for use of the territorial waters pertaining to the state. (Territorial waters means 12 nautical miles from the shore line and in case of Lakshadweep from the reef of the island) Lakshadweep islands have a very fragile ecosystem and if these islands are not protected and conserved, many living resources would be in danger. As per the provision of this regulation all fishing craft are to be registered and licensed for fishing. The lagoons and waters around our islands are highly rich in marine fishery resources and hence these regulations are imperative for the optimal use of our marine fishery resources to conserve them for our future generations and to avoid disputes among the fishermen/boat-owners. It is a known fact that almost 99% of the fishing craft have been registered and licensed here till date and is continuing. Registration details are given below. Violation of Regulations is liable to be punished under relevant rules.
No. of Mechanized boats : 60 Nos
No. of Traditional Craft fitted with Outboard Machine : 112 Nos
