The Thoothukudi mechanised boat fishermen’s plea for allowing them to practice ‘stay fishing’ has immediately triggered unrest and sharp resistance from the country boat fishermen who struck work on Monday as they had suffered a lot on the high-seas in the past due to the violation of norms by the mechanised boat fishermen.
Submitting a petition to Collector (In-Charge) P. Muthuramalingam on Monday during the weekly grievance redressal meet, the petitioner fishermen said the mechanised boats, as per the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act 1983 and the Government Order issued on June 6, 2011, should be powered by an engine not exceeding the capacity of 150 HP and should not exceed the length of 20 meter. And, these mechanised fish crafts should carry out fishing operations on high-seas between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.
“Though these norms have been confirmed by the Madras High Court, the mechanised boat fishermen violate all these norms with the connivance of the officials attached to the Department of Fisheries. More than 90% of the mechanised boats operating from Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts have been fitted with imported 450 HP high power engines that violate the 150 HP norms. And, all these wide-bodied steel boats are up to 35 meter-long. However, the Fisheries Department officials, who have promised the High Court to take stringent action against the violators, are silently watching all these violations,” said S.V. Antony of Uvari, one of the petitioners.
The fishermen also alleged that the mechanised boats, by ploughing through the country boats on high-seas between midnight and dawn, had caused serious loss and even loss of life. The mechanised boats, which were regularised later to carry out fishing operations between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. in a bid to save the country boat fishermen, were attempting to violate this restriction also by moving to ‘stay fishing’.
“If stay fishing is allowed, it will lead to serious clashes on high-seas between the country boat fishermen and the mechanised boat fishermen. To avert this, the district and the police administrations of Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari should strictly implement the existing rules pertaining to marine fishing. Otherwise these administrations will have to work overtime to restore law and order in the coastal hamlets,” said Raymond of Uvari.
Thoothukudi
Scores of country boat fishermen along with boat owners thronged the Collectorate here on Monday against “violations’ by mechanised boats. They said that in violation of Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1983, fishermen of some mechanised boats engaged in stay fishing last week. Condemning this, the country boat fishermen from coastal hamlets in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts have struck work.
S.J. Gayes, president of Country Boat Fishermen Association, Manapad, said the Act was implemented only to protect traditional fishing by country boats. More than 75 % fleet of mechanised boats in Thoothukudi still remained unregistered causing loss to the government exchequer, he said.
Most of the boats were equipped with high-powered motor engines, he said.
Petitions were submitted to Collector N. Venkatesh and Superintendent of Police P. Mahendran, he said.
Joint Director of Fisheries, R. Amal Xavier told The Hindu that police force had been deployed adequately at Thoothukudi fishing harbour as a precautionary measure to check any untoward incident. Necessary action would be taken against those found guilty of violating the fishing rules.
He said that charge sheets were filed against six mechanised boat operators after they stayed throughout night of Tuesday last and returned to the shore here the next morning. Unusually, more ice bars were loaded into 153 mechanised boats that ventured into sea on Monday, he said.
