Members of the country boat association questioned why the district administration had not taken any action on fishermen using mechanised boats for violating norms. Speaking to reporters here after submitting a petition to Collector Sandeep Nanduri, S.J. Gayes, president, Thoothukudi country, fibre boat and catamaran fishermen association, said fishermen using mechanised boats, have been wreaking havoc on high seas. Nets worth several crores of rupees have been damaged, he said. Out of nearly 240 mechanised boats in the harbour, only about 70 boats have been registered. Among the rest, a majority do not comply with the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act of 1983. It mandates that boats should have an engine power of less than 240 HP and a maximum length of 24m. But a number of boats are constructed in violation of the law. The boats cannot be registered under the Act and they cannot get the required licences. He said that the Collector had promised to take action within a week. After the 61-day fishing ban was lifted, Fisheries Department officials conducted a survey of boats following repeated complaints from country boat fishermen and said that summons for inquiry would be issued to fishermen who are violating the norms. Trawling affects the coral reefs. Moreover, nets they use won’t leave behind even juvenile fish, he said. Sri Lanka has banned bottom trawling while Tamil Nadu has not done so. Further, Dr. Gayes said that the boat owners have submitted bills before the court claiming that the boats have been made for as low as Rs. 6 to 8 lakh when most of the mechanised boats are worth at least around a crore rupees. The coal jetty that would come up near the Supercritical Thermal Power Project at Udangudi would jeopardise the interests of fishermen. Access to waters would be restricted to fishermen, he said. No stakeholders meeting was conducted for the project so far. The project is also in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (2011), which states that no construction should be taken up within 500m on the land, and 12 nautical miles from the coast, he said.