Thousands of fishermen from Ramanathapuram, Kanyakumari and Tuticorin districts in the south Indian State of Tamil Nadu head to Gulf countries every year looking for greener pastures due to lack of fishing facilities and acute poverty in the region, especially in Ramanathapuram district. Another important reason contributing to the migration is the fear of Sri Lankan Navy and the depleting sea wealth in the region.
Fishermen in coastal Ramanathapuram district who are mainly country boat fishermen can earn hardly Rs 200 to Rs 300 per day with their catch of crabs and fish, but that too is fast depleting due to excessive fishing by mechanised boats. “The fish wealth is fast depleting and we, the country boat fishermen, are not able to compete with mechanised boats. We don’t get permits to procure mechanised boats as Sri Lanka is very nearby, hence many of our youth leave to Gulf countries,” says S Ponnandi from Thoppuvalasai who is a relative of Sekar, killed in Dubai by the US Navy.
Fishermen association leaders rue the lack of political will in addressing the plight of fishermen after the issue with the Sri Lankan Navy caused a lot of migration of labour from the region. “After the conflict started with the Sri Lankan Navy due to the civil war in 1983, the government should have taken measures to create alternative fishing facilities for fishermen of Ramanathapuram. They should have been provided the skills and facilities to venture deep sea and other fishing methods like tuna fishing. But the government has failed to look into this aspect, resulting in a large migration from the district,” U Arulanandam of Alliance for the Release of Innocent Fishermen said.
“The government has not done much for fishermen in spite of generating huge foreign exchange from the fishing sector. Fishermen have done it all through their sheer hard work and own investments,” he said.
V Rabel from Rajakkamangalamthurai in Kanyakumari district said many of their youth had to leave to the Gulf as there were not many fishing facilities here. “There are not many fishing harbours in Kanayakumari coast and even the ones we have cater only to local fishermen. Unfortunately, Tamil Nadu does not even have facilities like proper fishing harbours, cold storages, auction halls for fishermen when compared to Kerala. Many of our youth work in Kerala. In spite of earning huge foreign exchange, why can’t the state government provide us the necessary facilities,” he alleged.
Fishermen living in Gulf countries too expressed the same opinion. “If there are sufficient employment opportunities, why should we leave our families and home and work in hostile conditions here? We lose our youth, health and affection from the family all because our next generation can study and move out of this profession,” laments Sahaya Sales, a Kanyakumari fisherman living in Bahrain.
However, it appears that the craze for Gulf countries has come down in Tuticorin district. “Thousands of fishermen were heading to Gulf countries 10 years ago, but the trend has declined and many now opt for the merchant navy,” said C Parthiban, president, mechanised boat fishermen association, Tuticorin.
2012 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.