Fishers flay illegal entry of Kerala trawlers into Thoothukudi waters

MADURAI: Owners and workers of mechanised boats suspended all fishing operations in Thoothukudi on Tuesday as they protested encroachment of their zones by Kerala trawlers.

According to RJ Bosco, secretary, Thoothukudi Mechanised Boat Owners Association, fishing remains tough in our area as trawlers from Kerala often engaged in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mannar. Livelihood of fishermen and boat owners was getting ruined, due to illegal fishing by several fishers from Kerala.

Despite the 61-day annual fishing ban along the east coast of Tamil Nadu from April, nearly a hundred trawlers from Kerala, were ‘trespassing into our waters violating the ban and spoiling the purpose of providing breeding time for the marine beings.

Though such violations were recurring, there has been no concrete action to check them. During 1992 and 1997, six Kerala boats were impounded for similar violation, the protesters recalled. “On every such occasion, authorities with ministerial rank from Kerala gave an undertaking that such violations will not recur. But they never keep their promise,” Bosco said.

Another aggrieved mechanised boat owner P Ajay said Thoothukudi is only among 13 coastal districts in Tamil Nadu to keenly follow rules about the timing and procedures laid down under the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act.

With a fleet of over 240 mechanised boats at Thoothukudi fishing harbour, only around 35 set out to sea owing to insufficient catch.

“While the Thoothukudi fishermen and boat owners are experiencing such hardship, how can the Kerala boats be allowed to fish in our waters,” he asked.