Maharashtra casting strict law to stop 'fishy' business

Amid rumours of a carcinogen being used to preserve the catch hauled out of coastal states, the fish you are forking might get easier to swallow with the knowledge that Maharashtra government is hammering out a law to regulate the fishing industry and ensure that the seafood is safe to consume.

The legislation, being drafted under the title Inland Fishing Act, will make it mandatory for stakeholders like fish sellers to get licences, while spelling out quality norms including for fish preservatives.

Officials said the law would also make way for sustainable fishing and best practices, and check over-exploitation of inland and marine fishery resources.

"Despite its huge turnover, the fishing business is unregulated," said a senior officer from the state fisheries department.

"There are no rules about sale and purchase of fish, transport, storage, use of preservatives and about where fish should be dried for preservation... We want to introduce hygiene and quality norms from sea-to-fork," said the official.

Under the law, officials will be given powers to collect samples for testing. The act will also suggest suitable amendments to the Maharashtra Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1981.

Pointing to reports of formalin being used to increase the shelf-life of fish, the official noted they would also chalk out food safety norms. Formalin is used in mortuaries to prevent bodies from decaying. When ingested by humans, the toxic chemical affects kidneys and the liver, other than causing cancer.

"The proposed law will look at licensing and registration of commercial freshwater fishing, fish farms, fish dealers, disqualification of licences for violations, officers being given powers to search premises and book offenders for use of poisonous and chemical substances or explosives. It will also cover transport of fish, import and regulation of marketing," the official said.

He noted inland fishing resources were often over-exploited, especially in water bodies like dams, with little re-stocking. "The mesh size of nets used for fishing needs to be controlled to prevent juvenile fish from being caught. Quality norms must also be imposed for quarantine, broodstock, feed, medication and water in seed and fish farms," he said.

Damodar Tandel of the Macchimar Kruti Samiti said the fisheries department dragged its feet on implementing the much-needed law. He alleged that despite the ban on fishing during monsoon, trawlers equipped with purse seines continued to operate with impunity. A purse seine is a large net, closed at the bottom, to encircle a school of fish and entrap them.

According to the Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2017-18, up to December 2017, marine and inland fish production (provisional) was 3.50 lakh MT and 1.15 lakh MT respectively. During 2016-17, it was 4.63 lakh MT and 2.00 lakh MT respectively.

Maharashtra has around 22,000 marine fishing boats, including 15,000 that are mechanised.