Kerala Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian has said the Kerala government is preparing to fully support young people from the fishermen’s community to pursue higher studies abroad. “It is time to change the concept that fishermen’s children become fishermen. The government is trying to provide them with the best education,” he said.
The Minister was speaking during the inauguration of a day-long seminar on fisheries resources and sustainability organised by the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) and the Coastal Area Development Association for Liberation in Kochi on September 30.
The Minister also gave a call to stakeholders to resist and defeat any move to corporatise the sea. The rights over the sea and over all associated resources are being prepared to be exploited by corporations though fishermen are the traditional owners of the sea resources. The Union government’s moves are such that these rights will pass on to the hands of big companies in the future, he said, pointing out that the fishermen community stood at the bottom of the social and economic ladder. “It is the duty of society as a whole in Kerala to come to their help,” he said.
