let Odisha be made nucleus of the sector with its vast potential
India is the biggest peninsula in the world. With its coastline of about 4.,800 km, having an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles (about 370 km from the coast), the marine wealth in the EEZ belongs to our country. When we consider the EEZ around Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the eastern limit stretches up to the Thailand territorial waters and in the south, it reaches up to Indonesia. Similarly, the lakshadweep and Minicoy islands stretch deep into the Indian Ocean covering a large part of Arabian Sea.
Fisheries are an integral part of agriculture and food processing. These sectors constitute the thirst areas of MSMEs. Focusing on fisheries will strengthen our agriculture, food processing and the MSMEs.
With such vast area of EEZ, India needs to be equipped with not only fleets of deep sea trawlers, but it must also have factory ships processing marine products fresh on board to exploit at least a part of the marine fisheries. But India today has hardly about 60 deep sea trawlers. Interestingly, about 40 of these trawlers are engaged in non-fishing activities like supply boats to oil rigs, survey ships, etc. The remaining 20 are mostly laid up for repairs or unable to continue fishing due to working capital constraints. Many such trawlers are capable of fishing in deep waters. But presently, we have a large number of catamarans, country boats or mechanised boats. Such trawlers are capable of reaching out to around 30 nautical miles. What about the resources available in the EEZ beyond 30 nautical miles and up to 200 nautical miles!
Many species of fishes are migratory like tuna. Indian EEZ has large stock of yellow fin tuna and big eye tuna. In and around Andaman Sea, such tuna could be of around 130 kg with an average price of around $20 per kg. If we develop our infrastructure, India could easily achieve the export target of $6 billion to be achieved by 2015. Indian waters are being poached by foreign trawlers, mainly of Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia and even Philippines. Besides, the vast stretch of water areas in our EEZ has become home to the terrorists and smugglers.
On the other hand, the coastal areas are overfished. The north tip of Bay of Bengal, known as Sand Heads, has thousands of small boats fishing day and night, even up to the mouth of the Ganges and Brahmaputra during the breeding season, resulting in depletion of certain species like Hilsa.
What we need is to plan out introduction of deep sea trawlers and factory ships in the Indian EEZ. like in Argentina, Spain, Japan, we encounter factory ships usually known as mother ships, with deep sea trawlers sailing together as a fleet. The trawlers unload their catch in the factory ship which processes and markets the marine products online. The catches can be unloaded in any of the international ports at a given date.
Focusing on Odisha, which has about 480 km of coastline and hundreds of landing bases, we need to strengthen our fishing fleet with deep sea trawlers as well. Till date, the State had one registered deep sea trawler, SAI Sadhaba, acquired with finance from the OSFC. Eventually, this was sold out after seven years of successful operations due to non-availability of working capital to run the trawler. Now, our Chief Minister has asked to double the fish output in five years from 2.37 lMT to 4.33 lMT. This is only for the inland fisheries. Such steps are also required to develop marine catches, mainly through deployment of deep sea trawlers.
It is also a matter of great concern that a large part of the Odisha coastline is banned for fishing during the breeding season of Olive Ridley turtles. Areas like Gahiramatha, Rashikulya, Devi and Jatahari sea mouth are the best grounds which are banned areas. Fishermen also suffer due to lack of rehabilitation as complained by the Odisha Traditional Marine Fish Workers’ Union (OTFWU). Due to periodic ban on fishing, over three lakh traditional marine fishermen spread over 284 villages in six districts are living with uncertain future, many having migrated outside the State.
Turtle conservation is important, but the fishermen in the banned areas need to be rehabilitated. The State Government has launched various schemes for development of fisheries, mainly inland fisheries. The Government has even announced a 50 per cent subsidy for aquaculture growth. The Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) in Bhubaneswar is also actively involved in training fishermen and entrepreneurs, but despite all such facilities, why is the State still lagging behind for production of fish to the extent that we look up to Andhra Pradesh for our daily requirement.
Most of the State Government’s schemes are not being implemented in true sense. The major complaints lie in the availability of working capital fund to meet the running expenses of the boat. Fishermen need funds to buy nets, diesel, provisions, spares and also to meet salary of the crew. If the working capital funds are tied up through a cooperative bank or any other scheduled bank, the schemes can finally see the light of the day. The woe of fisherman borrowing from private moneylenders and finally landing in a debt trap can be avoided.
Many fishermen are bonded labourers in other States. Several fishermen have committed suicide due to debt trap. The poverty of fishermen can be largely reversed by ensuring need-based working capital to them. It is a matter of regret that out of `776.14 crore allotted by the Centre to Odisha’s Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department under the last Five-Year Plan, `106.47 crore was refunded to the Centre due to non-utilisation. With a working capital tie-up, the position is bound to improve and the fisheries in the State will flourish. Besides banks, there are also various other funding agencies like the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) which have dedicated funds for the fishing sector.
Our marine natural resources can be matched with the State’s mines if proper infrastructure is available to harvest the same along with the need to provide adequate and timely finance. Realising the States’ vast potential of fisheries, Dr GK Bhanji, Chairman, National Association of Fishermen (NAF), and Dr MK Tomar, Secretary General (NAF).with Harendra N Mahapatra as President for Odisha and Bengal launched the Odisha Chapter of NAF on April 19, 2013 to consolidate the various fishery associations of the State.
With the abundance of lakes, rivers and ponds and the vast stretch of the EEZ, India can become a focal point in the world scenario for both inland and marine fisheries. Odisha with its 480-km coastline, river network and big lagoon Chilika can become the nucleus for its commercial and social significance. We can be a world power in the fishery sector. With most wealthy class of Indian entrepreneurs opting as vegetarians clubbed with non-availability of need-based bank finance, the marine species in the Indian EEZ remain underexploited.
(The writer, the Working Chairperson of the Entrepreneurs & Finance Customers Association of India-EFCAI, can be contacted at efcai12@gmail.com)