Proposed Luxury Cruise Harmful to Fishworkers

Thiruvananthapuram : The Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation has demanded of the Government to review its stand on launching luxury cruises from Trivandrum to Kasargod, targeted at tourists. The Government’s demand to introduce luxury cruise boats comes at a time when 30,000 kattumarams, canoes and boats employing nearly 180000 fishermen are finding it difficult to sustain. Compared to other States, the work sites available for fishermen in Kerala is very less. The Government is liable to protect the 22 nautical mile seas, which forms the work site of fishermen who are engaged in this occupation for their livelihood, without any burden to the Government. The Federation directed that the Government can go ahead with this project after assuring that the luxury boats would sail at distances of 50 km west from the shores.

The President of Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation Shri.T.Peter, Trivandrum District President Shri.Valerian Issac and District Secretary Shri.Anto Elias have warned that the fishworkers will protest, as an unified force, against the luxury cruise that would obstruct fishing by ripping apart nets.