Country boat fishers take protest rally against trawlers
Fishermen in and around Akkaraipettai and Seruthur villages commenced an indefinite strike demanding action against the accused and compensation to the victims.
Fishermen from 12 villages protesting in Velanganni pressing for their demands after taking a rally from Seruthur in Nagapattinam district
TIRUCHY: Over 1,000 country boat fishermen went on a rally from Seruthur to Velankanni in Nagapattinam district demanding the district administration to stop trawlers, after frequent incidents of damages to nets, and action against perpetrators of a recent mid-sea attack which led to the killing of 2 fishers.
The country boat fishermen, also demanding implementation for the implementation of Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act 1983, attempted a road blockade, to press for their demands.
The death of two fishermen from Akkaraipettai in a mid-sea clash, which took place on February 26, had triggered a tension among the country boat fishermen across the district. Fishermen in and around Akkaraipettai and Seruthur villages commenced an indefinite strike demanding action against the accused and compensation to the victims.
Fishermen from around 12 villages, including Arukattuthurai, Vellapallam and Kameshwaram, involved in country boat fishing expressed solidarity and joined the strike and demanded a total ban on trawling.
Despite talks by the district collector Johny Tom Varghese with the country boat owners and asked to resume fishing activities, the striking fishermen refused the Collector’s suggestion and demanded the collector to ask the mechanised boats to stop using trawlers nets which used to damage their nets. They also demanded to implement Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act 1983 which allows the mechanised boat to be involved only in deep sea fishing.
On Thursday around 1,000 fishermen from striking villages assembled at Seruthur as peace talks failed, and took on a procession to Velankanni in support of their demands. At Velankanni they tried to block the road to fulfill their demands such as ban on trawling nets and seeking compensation to the deceased fishermen in the mid sea attack by fishermen of a mechanised boat. A police team headed by the DSP Balakrishnan stopped them from blocking the road and held talks with the agitating fishermen.
Upon the assurance by the officials, they dispersed from the spot.
