The Nagapattinam district administration on Wednesday advised fishermen using banned purse seine and double knot nets to avail themselves of government schemes for alternate means of income generation, in the interests of their sustained livelihood and preservation of State’s marine resources. District Collector Praveen P. Nair said ₹1.2 crore credit facility with 40% subsidy component will be provided for purchase of deep sea fishing boats.
Under the State government’s scheme, ₹60 lakh loan with 50 subsidy will be extended for purchase of gill netter cum tuna liners. The loan scheme for conversion of pair trawlers into gill netters with ₹ 15 lakh subsidy component could also be availed, the Collector said.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the fishing hamlets surrounding Thirumullaivasal, Pazhayar, Poompuhar, Tranquebar, and a few other places following an announcement made earlier this week by fishers in this belt that they will be ending their lives in the sea with family members opposing the government’s restriction on use of purse seine nets. Over 1,500 police personnel drawn from central districts have been stationed in these areas as a precautionary measure, sources said.
