The CITU-affiliated Tamil Nadu Meenpidi Thozhirsanga Koottamaippu and traditional and country boat fishermen staged a demonstration at Thirupalaikudi, near here on Friday, demanding lifting of the ban on fishing sea cucumber, an endangered species, protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act. Questioning the logic behind India imposing the ban, depriving the livelihood of the fishing community, when fishing of the species was allowed in more than 100 countries, including the neighbouring Sri Lanka, the fishermen urged the State government to take up the issue with the Centre and protect their interests. The ruling AIADMK should ask the party MPs to move a resolution in the Lok Sabha and support their demand for lifting of the ban, the fishermen said. The ban has been in vogue for 15 years and it was not reviewed once in three years, Karunamoorthy, secretary of the Koottamaippu said. The ban continued even after the Central Marine Fisheries Research Centre (CMFRI) has declared that sea cucumber was not an endangered species, he said. The fisheries and agriculture departments were also not opposed to the lifting of the ban, he pointed out. There were more than 300 species of sea cucumber and it was totally wrong on the part of the Centre to impose a total ban when fishermen in the district collected only three species, he said. Even after imposing the ban, illegal collection of sea cucumbers continued unabated in the Gulf of Mannar region for smuggling purposes, the fishermen said. Alleging that mechanised fishing boats were used for fishing within three nautical miles, Mr. Karunamoorthy said the agitation was also urging the district administration and fisheries department to prevent the mechanised boats from fishing within the three nautical mile area, meant for traditional boat fishermen.
2016, The Hindu