A group of representatives from coastal hamlets in the district submitted a petition to Collector M. Karunakaran on Tuesday seeking a ban on fishing by mechanised boats from Chinna Muttom fishing harbour in areas close to their villages.
In the petition, the representatives said fishermen from nine coastal hamlets of the district, with their fibreglass boats and catamarans, were still following the traditional fishing practices while the mechanised boats operating from the neighbouring Chinna Muttom fishing harbour near Kanyakumari were practising trawling methods that seriously affect marine wealth.
When the mechanised boats, in a bid to have better catch, had their operations close to the coast, it often lead to the destruction of traditional fishermen’s fibreglass boats, catamarans and their fishnets and subsequent clashes.
Even though several rounds of talks were held with the mechanised boat fishermen, no amiable solution had been arrived at yet.
Hence, the Collector should ban fishing operations by mechanised boats in areas close to the coast. The mechanised boats should leave the Chinna Muttom harbour by 7 a.m. and return to base before 10 p.m.
To ensure this, a chain should be tied across the entry-exit point of Chinna Muttom harbour. They should not be allowed to practise ‘stay fishing’ that would allow them to stay in the deep sea up to one week, they said.
The damage caused by mechanised boats to the fibreglass boats, catamarans and fishnets should be adequately compensated.
Above all, the uncontrolled and illegal use of high power engines up to 450 HP in the mechanised boats should be banned and officials attached to the Department of Fisheries should conduct frequent checks, the petitioners also said.
Fishermen from Koottapuli, Perumanal, Thomaiyarpuram, Idinthakarai, Uvari and Koottappanai met the Collector and submitted the petition.
Representatives from coastal hamlets in Tirunelveli district submitted a petition to Collector
M. Karunakaran
