Urging the district administration to permit multi-day fishing for mechanised vessel trawlers, associated fishermen and vessel owners took the issue to the roads, condemning the officials here on Saturday.
Following a demonstration at the fishing harbour’s premises, the fishers infringed the police order to squat across the beach roads. They blocked the vehicles to condemn the district collector and fisheries officials, alleging that they are least concerned about the livelihood of the fishers and are sitting on their long pending demand for multi-day fishing. The fishermen marched towards the collectorate from the fishing harbour, but were stopped at the sub collector’s office.
Fishing Vessel Owners Coordination Committee president Xavier Vaz said they are in dire need of multi-day fishing as dwindling fishing resources have forced them to go far in the deep sea. However, the fuel expenses take a big toll as they have to return to shore the same night, he said.
Relaxing the time schedule of fishing between 5am to 9pm in a day, as stipulated by the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1983, to multi-day fishing may permit them to stay at sea overnight for fishing, reducing fuel costs and increasing the yield, he added.
Further, Vaz said that a discussion on permitting multi-day fishing for two days, during January to April, was considered during 2023, and a survey by an expert committee to ascertain their demands was preferred. There were seven rounds of talks with the stakeholders and officials, but the twi district collectors in 2023 and 2024-25 did not take up the matter seriously, pushing the lives of mechanised vessel fishermen to the brink, he charged.
Vaz also said country boat fishermen violate the TNMFRA Act, but the fisheries officials hesitate to act against them. “While all 12 coastal districts, among 13, permit multi-day fishing for trawlers, the Thoothukudi district administration restricts them citing law and order issues by country boat fishermen,” he charged.
Fishermen Labour Association leader Dharmapichai said the district administration must form a committee to assess the depleting fish resources, and consider permitting multi-day fishing following due consultation with country boat fishermen leaders.
During the talks at the sub-collector’s office, the fishermen were assured that the issue would be taken up with the collector.