The Fisheries department is on its feet in Nagapattinam district to prevent a showdown between two groups of Pazhayar fishermen favouring and opposing use of purse seine nets ( surukku madi valai ) by fibre boats.
Be it Pazhayar, Nagapattinam or Vedaranyam, the fishermen, using purse seine nets purchased with heavy investments, face stiff opposition from those using regular nets, sources said.
On its part, the Fisheries department is adopting a ‘carrot and stick’ policy to prevent use of purse seine nets that is known to pose threat to marine life, since fishlings are also caught in the net causing adverse impact on fish population.
“Apart from the boats and the banned nets, the catches are also seized if case of any transgression of norms,” Joint Director of Fisheries Department Amal Raj Xavier said.
The fishermen in the district say they are in a catch-22 situation. This being the season for netting Mathi fish variety for which there is huge demand in Kerala and Karnataka, the abrupt ban on use of purse seine nets will cause a blow to the livelihood of the fishermen. “The government could instead permit the fishermen to use the nets for certain months in a year,” said Rajendran Nattar, a representative of the fishermen in Akkaraipettai hamlet.
By and large, the fishermen in Nagapattinam district have resolved to avoid pair-trawling ( rettai madippu valai ), in realisation of the destruction caused to marine life. However, the seasonal availability of fish catches must be given a consideration for use of purse seine nets, the fishers say.
To preserve the marine resources in the long run, the government must, instead, ensure that mechanised boats are fitted with engines of permissible horsepower. There has been a shortcoming on the part of the department in preventing fitment of higher than permitted horsepower engines of Chinese make in the boats. Such boats should identified for replacement of engines, Mr. Rajendra Nattar said.
