Twenty-four fishermen from the Kasimedu fishing harbour, who were illegally detained on Friday by fishers of Srinivasapuram near Sriharikota, were released on Tuesday.
The fishermen and their two boats were captured by Andhra Pradesh fishermen, demanding that high-speed boats from Karaikal, in Puducherry, and Nagapattinam not tresspass into their fishing grounds.
Arasu of the Chennai Chengai Singaravelar Visai Padagu Meenavar Sangam, who held talks with the Srinivasapuram fishermen on Monday, said one of the boats was damaged. “They say they have nothing against fishermen from Kasimedu,” he said.
“But they are fed up with fishermen from other areas, as they fish close to the shore, have very high horsepower engines and use banned retta madi nets that do not leave anything behind for the local fishers,” he added.
Action being taken
Official sources in the Fisheries Department said: “They have released the men as of now, but not the boats. We have requested the Andhra Pradesh Fisheries Department to take legal action and release the boats after due process of law. Any illegal detention shall be avoided”.
Meanwhile, action is also being initiated against Nagapattinam fishermen.
“Recently, 40 odd boats were impounded by the Department in Nagapattinam for the same reason,” he added.
Issue taken up
Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said the issue was taken up with the Puducherry government.
“As far as the damaged boat is concerned, there is a solatium fund that was set up way back in 1991, when I was Fisheries Minister, and they will get some compensation from that,” Mr. Jayakumar said.
Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy said there was a ban on the use of high-speed engine boats, purse seine nets and pair trawling practice in the Union Territory.
Mr. Narayanasamy told The Hindu that Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar had spoked to him over phone last week, expressing concern about the use of high horsepower engines by fishermen in Karaikal.
Mr. Narayanasamy said he had directed the Fisheries Department to enforce the ban strictly. The Director of Fisheries had already held one round of consultations with fishermen in Karaikal, he added.
According to a senior official, a joint co-ordination committee, involving Ministers and officials of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry could be constituted to enforce the ban.
