The industry's plans for trawling, deep-sea fishing and aquaculture were riddled with problems preventing their smooth operations. Thecentre must set up a committee for an in-depth study of the industry to find scientific answers to problems that weigh it down and thwart all modernisation efforts, M Sakthivel, president of Aquaculture Foundation of India told The Financial Express.

Fish production could be increased to 4-5 million tonnes against one million tonnes now, and exports to Rs 20,000 crore against Rs 5,000 crore if the new steps are encouraged, he said.

Sakthivel, a former chairman of MPEDA, said the achievement so far had been marginal because all efforts at innovation and modernisation were thwarted without finding correct and scientific solutions tothe problems associated with them. The government seems to have chosen the easiest path: banning or ordering closure of all new schemes. Trawling was introduced. But trawling is banned when the potential is the maximum: from June to August. The reason: that is the fish breeding season. But the discontented industry says fish breed mostly in November-December not in July-August.

Deep-sea fishing joint ventures for harvesting the wealth of lobsters, shrimps and tuna in waters deeper than 200 meters were introduced. Organised fishermen's groups fought against it until it was banned. The opponents of deep-sea fishing argued that deep-sea trawlers strayed into shallow waters and netted all the marine animals in the area. If allowed to continue, in a short period, the seas would be deprived of fish.

``But the norm should be implemented and should be monitored by forces like the Coast Guard or even Navy; banning a very profitable business is not the answer. If we don't fish in deep seas, others will and thecountry will be the loser,'' Sakthivel said. Here again the government had to intervene more constructively and scientifically, he suggested.

However the industry banks on the ban on the implementation of the relevant portion of the order, demolition of the shrimp farms within 500 metres from the high tide line.

When it dawned on the industry that coastal resources like mangrove forests, fresh water sources and agricultural lands had to be preserved and the rights of the traditional fishermen had to be protected, much damage had been done. Now the major industries like ITC, Hindustan Lever, Water Base and MAC Industries have deserted the industry. The small and medium ones are struggling to survive. They are expecting justice from Aquaculture Authority of India. But the authority has not been able to convince the opponents.

``It has to be more transparent, objective and scientific,'' Sakthivel said.The last resort for the industry is the Aquaculture Authority Bill. According to the anti-shrimp industrycampaigners it is a pro-industry Bill.

It was passed by the Rajya Sabha in 1997. Before its passage in the Lok Sabha, the United Front government fell. The Vajpayee government is expected to place it in the current session of the house.