Fisheries resource depletion, climate change, and new laws governing marine and inland fisheries will figure prominently in a two-day seminar being organised here at the end of January by the unions under the Kerala Fisheries Coordination Committee.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty Amma will address the seminar, being organised with experts' and scientists' help at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute here.
There has been serious depletion in both pelagic and demersal fish resources, a constant cause for worry among all group of fishermen, said Charles George of the Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedhi, which has taken the lead in organising the discussions.
New regulations on inland fisheries will also be discussed in detail. The proceedings have been divided into six sessions, which will consider important issues facing the fisheries sector in the State.
State president of the Matsya Thozhilali Congress Austin Gomes and general convenor of the Coordination Committee P.P. Chitharanjan were among fisheries leaders who addressed a convention of the leadership of the Fisheries Coordination Committee on Friday, said Mr. Charles.
The fishers' unions have also decided to join hands in organising widespread protests against the recently promulgated Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens. The unions will join hands with secular forces in the country to campaign against the efforts to turn India into a theocratic State, he added.
