Fishermen stage protest

Fishermen staging a protest at the Ramanathapuram Collectorate on Wednesday.

Led by Centre of Indian Trade Unions functionaries, fishermen staged a protest near the Collectorate here on Wednesday.

CITU district secretary M. Karunamoorthy said their demands to put an end to purse seine fishing, to step up surveillance on mechanised boats which indulged in fishing close to the sea shore in violation of had not been addressed by officials of the Fisheries department. The State government should give a boat for the Fisheries department for the exclusive purpose of surveillance so taht they could put an end to illegal acts of some fishermen.

During a protest with the same demands three months ago, fisheries officials promised to take action but did not, the fishermen said.

With the transfer of Deputy Director of Fisheries, a delegation of fishermen met District Revenue Officer Sivakami and pleaded for an early solution to their demands.