The Tamil Nadu government has reiterated, among other issues, its stand to rescind the guidelines on Deep Sea fishing issued in 2014 over allowing foreign fishing vessels under Letter of Permit in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
In a meeting held in Delhi on Friday, where all coastal States put forth their comments on the Draft National Policy on Marine Fisheries 2016, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said the stand on the deep sea fishing guidelines was in order to fully protect the interests of fishermen from Tamil Nadu.
Since marine fisheries sector is still a livelihood and an income generating sector for the coastal community, “any conservation and management measures to be implemented should be decided in consultation with the State governments and Union Territories concerned”, Mr. Jayakumar said.
He also added that caution needs to be exercised while adopting the principles followed by western countries.
He reiterated that fishing vessels even below 24m Over All Length must be given open access in the EEZ and surveillance should contain policy for providing seamless communication facilities to the fisher folk.
“Necessary provisions should be made for streamlining and simplifying licensing for fishermen to use VHF and HF for seamless communication network facilities. This procedure is extremely tedious at present in our country,” Mr. Jayakumar contended.
He pointed to the State government’s stand of the traditional fishing rights in the Palk Bay. He also pointed out that Tamil Nadu was yet to receive Rs. 133 crore for fishing harbour projects already sanctioned by the Centre.
Tamil Nadu called for a policy decision for including fishermen community of Tamil Nadu in the list of Scheduled Tribes and for a policy framework for the maintenance dredging of the river bar mouths to keep them open. The Fisheries Minister also reiterated that 20 fishermen and 118 fishing boats from Tamil Nadu be released from Sri Lankan custody.
