Country boat fishermen from 15 fishing hamlets thronged the District Collectorate on Monday, pressing their three-point charter of demands including restriction of mechanised boat fishermen to three days fishing a week as per the existing agreement. Led by country boat fishermen association leader G Arul, the fishermen presented petitions to Collector S Natarajan, urging him to protect their livelihood by restriction the mechanised boat fishermen from Erwadi, Kilakarai and Mandapam areas, relocate the proposed fishing harbour at Kunthukal and revive the monthly fishermen grievance meeting. As per the existing agreement, Mr. Arul said, mechanised boat fishermen who ventured into north sea’ were allowed to fish on Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays, while those who set out to the south sea’ on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, leaving the remaining four days for country boat fishermen in both regions. However, in violation of the agreement, mechanised boat fishermen engaged in fishing on all seven days a week, depriving the livelihood of country boat fishermen in the 15 hamlets. About 300 mechanised boats engaged in illegal fishing’ and destroyed their boats, nets and other paraphernalia, they alleged. Though the Tamil Nadu Marine Fisheries Regulation Act, 1983 was clear that mechanised boats should not fish within the first three nautical miles, which had now been extended to five, the mechanised boat fishermen came close to the shore and collided with the anchored country boats. Further, they practised destructive pair trawling and used the banned purse seine nets, destroying the fishing nets laid by the country boat fishermen, they said. Stating that the proposed fishing harbour at Kunthukal for mechanised fishing boats would aggravate their problems, they urged the Collector to give up the move. They also wanted the Collector to revive the monthly fishermen grievance meeting. The fishermen also met Deputy Director of fisheries, who assured them of necessary action.