MARGAO
Asserting that generators are pivotal and intrinsic to the corporation of modern mechanised fishing boats, boat owners have submitted that no effective viable fishing can be undertaken without the use of a generator and the entire business will stand crippled and the livelihood of numerous families will get destroyed for no fault of theirs.
Replying to the show-cause notice issued by the Director of Fisheries prohibiting the use or installation of fishing gear such as LED lights, fish light attractions or any other light equipment with or without generator on mechanical fishing vessels, motorised fishing craft for trawling and purse-seining or gill netting, the boat owners have replied saying it was unnecessary to issue the notice just because a generator is found onboard the vessel.
A boat owner submitted that the ban is imposed on the use of “LED lights, fish light attractors or any other light equipment” only.
“It is a misconception and misinterpretation of the law/Act that there is a ban on using generators. 'With or without generators' simply mean that the use of LED lights, fish light attractors or any other light equipment is banned irrespective of whether you are operating it on a power generator/s or with any other source of power. The generators are not banned items,” he submitted.
Quoting Merchant Shipping (Distress and Safety Radio Communication) Rules, 1995, the boat owner said the rules speak of provision for a reserve source of energy, which shall be independent of the propelling power of the ship and the ship's electrical system.
Saying it is clear that even law provides that a power generator is a mandatory requirement whilst undertaking fishing activities, the boat owner further pointed out that it cannot be said that no generator is required for fishing activity. “The purse seiners are using hand methods and power blocks for fishing activities. All the modern boats are fixed with power blocks which are subsidised by the government. To undertake such operations of such a scale, a generator of substantial capacity is a pre-requisite. It bears mentioning that even the training boat of the fisheries department has a generator of substantial capacity attached to it,” the owner further contended.
It was further argued that since the boats are on high seas for long durations, the crew members encounter various operational exigencies which include fuel shortage. In such situations, the other boat owners assist in refuelling on high seas which requires sufficient power generation to undertake refuelling activities.
Saying that generators are cost-efficient, the boat owner pointed out that generators also serve as cost-efficient in the fishing business.
“Boat owners have to incur substantial expenses to carry out their day-to-day operations and to make the business viable and effective, they have to undertake various cost-cutting measures. Fuel also serves as one of the costs for operations, particularly once the boats go into high seas for long periods. In such circumstances, unless a cost-efficient measure is adopted, the entire business will be rendered unviable. As stated earlier, the generator consumes less diesel per hour as compared to the main engine and the ratio is as stark as 5 to 35 litres of diesel per hour for the same task,” the boat owner added in his reply.
