For over a month, traditional fishermen hailing from Chikkamagaluru, who have been staying in thatched huts on the banks of the Netravathi at Jeppinamogaru here, are living in the fear of attack by local fishermen. We are being forced to lay our nets in a way that local fishermen do not notice them, rued 35-year-old Venkatesh, who is among the fishermen who is facing the threat. As my wife was with me in a coracle few days ago, I was not harmed. But others have been hit. A couple of our fishing nets have also been taken away by some local fishermen, he alleged while speaking to The Hindu. Mr. Venkatesh is among the 40 members from the Shillekyata’ fishing community, a Scheduled Caste, hailing from Kadur taluk of Chikkamagaluru, who have been fishing here. He said they have been fishing in the Netravati using their coracles for over three decades. We lead our life from small catch from the river. We move in a group while laying the net, said Ravi, 55, another member of the community. While the fish catch has substantially come down in the river, Mr. Ravi said local fishermen blame them for the reduction. The net they use is of 50 mm and they catch only big marine species. In the last few days, they are getting only crabs that fetch ?200 a kg in market, he added. Rajappa said local fishermen were asking the community members to use nets made by them and do fishing in the way they are doing. They are also asking us to relocate to Kadur. How can we move to our native place where fishing is now literally non-existent because of drying of waterbodies, he said. Lokesh, 42, said they had reported about the threats to local people’s representatives and also to the Fisheries Department. We do not have anything against local fishermen. But we want the district administration to help us earn our livelihood in peace, said Mr. Lokesh. He and other community members accompanied by Democratic Youth Federation of India district secretary Santosh Bajal submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil S. here on Monday. Dakshina Kannada Traditional Fishermen’s Association president Sharat Guddekoppala said those troubling fishermen from Shillekyata community cannot be called as fishermen. We do not trouble fellow fishermen, he said, and asked Shillekyata community members to report the harassment to the coastal security police.