Rameswaram fishers stop work in protest

MADURAI: Condemning the arrest of 23 Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy on grounds of cross-border fishing near Katchatheevu on Sunday and demanding their early release, fellow fishermen struck work on Monday.

President of Rameswaram All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association S Emarit, said as many as 650 mechanised boats remain anchored in Rameswaram.

With this strike, the livelihood of around 10,000 people, who directly and indirectly depend on the fishing industry, has been affected. The fishermen unanimously believed that the retrieval of Katchatheevu was the only way to end the suffering of fishermen. For nearly a hundred years, Katchatheevu, 14 nautical miles away from Rameswaram, was the traditional fishing ground for the TN fishermen. As there was no alternative to fishing in a congested sea, the fishermen were forced to fish in Katchatheevu.

“It incurs an expenditure of Rs 80,000 on 500 litres of diesel, ice bars, wages for eight fishermen, food, and other essential commodities for a mechanised fishing boat a day. Only when fish worth Rs 1 lakh are netted, a boat owner could manage without loss,” he said, adding that fish catch was worth below Rs 50,000 while fishing within 12 nautical miles.

Being a member of the India-Sri Lanka bilateral steering committee, Emarit said both governments could resolve this long-standing issue in a matter of time since the fishers in Sri Lanka preferred to fish tuna, which was largely found in the Indian Ocean region.

At the same time, Katchatheevu tends to be the much sought-after fishing ground, which lies largely in Sri Lankan territorial waters, for Tamil Nadu fishermen, especially from Rameswaram.

Earlier during the bilateral talks, permission was sought for 80-day fishing in Katchatheevu annually, but the demand remains unmet, Emarittold to DT Next.