*𝗞𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗮’𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀: 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗮, 𝗦𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗽 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱* Kerala, once India’s top seafood exporter, has now fallen to fifth place, and the state's fishing sector is sounding the alarm. The Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI) is urging the government to take immediate action to save the livelihoods of over 14 lakh people. Key Concerns: Fishing days dropped from 300 to just 100 per year due to bad weather and bans. Foreign vessels from China & Taiwan are fishing illegally in Kerala’s waters. Shrimp production is low — modern processing units are idle without raw material. Lack of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) is risking India’s exports to eco-sensitive markets like the US. 80% of the processing workforce are women, many at risk of losing jobs. What SEAI Wants: Promote commercial aquaculture and shrimp farming in Kerala. Strengthen coastal surveillance to stop illegal fishing. Roll out TEDs quickly to meet international standards. Provide easy working capital loans during off-seasons. Use Kerala’s strong NRI banking network to support the seafood industry. Despite challenges, Kerala is showing the way with its Plastic-Free Seas project, where fishermen collect and return plastic waste from the sea — proving that profit and sustainability can go together.