KUALA LUMPUR: Although the government has abolished the super diesel subsidy, the deep-sea fishermen still enjoy other incentives and facilities, said Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar
He said the facilities included the 34 fish landing complexes, costing RM3.4 billion, compared with the ones built for the coastal fishermen.
“In terms oil quota, the deep-sea fishermen are given 24,000 to 28,000 litres a month, while the coastal fishermen get only 2,000 to 15,000 litres a month.
“Although we abolish the subsidy, we increase the fish landing incentive for
deep-sea fishermen from 10 sen to 20sen per kg, while the rate for coastal fishermen remains at 10sen per kg.
“The reason is we want to encourage the deep-sea fishermen to bring back their catch,” he told reporters at the parliament lobby here yesterday.
Noh said the deep-sea fishermen also received the RM200 living allowance, which was also given to coastal fishermen.
Despite the various facilities and incentives given to deep-sea fishermen, they contributed only 20 per cent of their total catch, compared with 80 per cent by the coastal fishermen, he added.
Noh said the government was prepared to discuss
with the deep-sea fishermen, who had been boycotting the
sea since last Saturday, to protest against the abolishment of the super diesel subsidy. — Bernama
The government could consider increasing other incentives for deep-sea fishermen, he said, but on the condition that they brought home more fish catch.
He said that there were 1,028 deep-sea fishing vessels registered in the country and that 279 of them continued with their fishing activities despite no longer getting the super diesel subsidy. — Bernama