For the first time the Kanyakumari district administration organised World Fisheries Day celebrations for the fisher folk of the district on Tuesday. But before the celebrations began, around 100 fishermen thronged the collectorate with fishing nets, gear and models of their houses and boats, urging the government to halt the mega Enayam Port project at Colachel in the coastal district. The fishermen also brought thermocol models of mechanised and country boats, a bowl of water, fish and sea sand. General secretary of the South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAFF) Churchil, who led the fishermen and close to a dozen organisations that organised the novel protest, said that it was to symbolise that this could be the last time the fishermen of the district celebrate World Fisheries Day, as they will lose their homes and livelihood once the government starts speeding up establishment of the port. “Mother vessels coming to the port will tear the fishing nets and will damage boats of fishermen and also claim their lives. Fish will move to deeper water when such huge ships come their way. Making the port suitable for cargo ships to come to Colachel by artificially landing concrete structures in the sea will disturb the water current, increasing soil erosion along the west coast,” he added. The fishermen and organisation representatives asked the collector to take their demands to the government or accept the net, gear, fish and other models they brought or help the district get separated from Tamil Nadu and reunite with Kerala, as their repeated pleas on this issue have not been ignored by the state and Centre. Apart from Enayam they also put forward eight other demands including separate ministry and declaration of Colachel or Killiyur assembly segment for fisher folk.