Kerala Fishermen's Welfare Fund Act, 1985

No: 30 Dated: Dec, 13 1985

Kerala Fishermen's Welfare Fund Act, 1985

(Act No. 30 of 1985)

    An Act to provide for the constitution of a welfare fund for promoting the welfare of fishermen in the State of Kerala and for matters incidental thereto.

    Preamble. - Whereas it is expedient to provide for the constitution of a welfare fund for promotion of the Welfare of fishermen in the State of Kerala and for certain other matters incidental thereto ;

Be it enacted in the Thirty-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:-

1. Short title, extent and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the Kerala Fishermen's Welfare Fund Act, 1985.

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Kerala

(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.

2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-

(a) "Board" means the Kerala Fishermen's Welfare Fund Board constituted under section 7 ;

(b) "contribution" means the sum of money payable to the fund under section 4;

(c) "Director of Fisheries" means the Director of Fisheries for the State of Kerala ;

(d) "dealer" means any person who carries on, within the State of Kerala the business of buying or selling or processing fish or exporting fish (in raw or in processed form) or fish products and includes,-

(i) a commission agent, a broker or any other mercantile agent; by whatever name called; and

(ii) a non-resident dealer or an agent of a non-resident dealer or a local branch of a firm or company or association situated outside the State of Kerala;

(e) "fish" means fish of all varieties including prawn, lobster, shellfish, clam, squids or any other aquatic organism exploited commercially for edible purposes or for manure;

(f) "Fisheries Officer" means the Fisheries Officer appointed under clause (d) of section 2 of the Kerala Fishermen Welfare Societies Act, 1980 (7 of 1981) ;

(g) "fisherman" means a fisherman as defined in clause (e) of section 2 of the Kerala Fishermen Welfare Societies Act, 1980 (7 of 1981) ;

(h) "fishing vessel" means a ship or boat, whether or not fitted with mechanical means of propulsion, which is engaged in fishing for profit and includes,-

(i) a catamaran, and

(ii) a country craft, known by the name "vanchi" or "vallom" or by any other local variations thereof ;

(i) "fund" means the Kerala Fishermen's Welfare fund established under section 3 and the scheme ;

(j) "member" means a member of the fund ;

(k) "Scheme" means the Kerala Fishermen's Welfare Fund Schemes or the allied workers' Welfare Scheme, framed under this Act,

(l) "schedule" means the schedule to this Act.