The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Station, Karaikal, has reached out to fishermen in coastal hamlets operating trawlers and motorised boats along the stretch of 87 nautical miles from Poompuhar to Vedaranyam and encouraged them to opt for tuna fishing. The ICG is educating the fishermen about the consequences of venturing into Sri Lankan waters in the backdrop of depletion of marine resources on the Indian side of maritime boundary. Through our monthly community interaction programmes in the hamlets, we educate the fishermen thoroughly on the consequences and advise them to switch over to tuna fishing in deep sea in groups so that they can be of help to one another in times of distress, Commanding Officer of Karaikal Coast Guard Station S.R. Nagendran said. The Fisheries department insists on installation of GPS devices in trawlers and motorised boats to make sure that the fishermen remain inside the Indian Maritime Boundary. The fishermen, in turn, expect the government to supply them with the devices. The necessity of GPS devices is the highest for fishermen in Kodiakarai in Nagapattinam district, which is closest to the Sri Lankan waters. But trespassing by Kodiakarai fishermen into Sri Lankan waters has been found to be unintentional in most cases, Amal Raj Xavier, Joint Director of Fisheries department, Nagapattinam, said. Studies show that bottom trawlers have caused enormous depletion in marine resources on the Indian side and are in a compulsive situation to carry out course correction rather than venturing into Lankan waters. For decades till the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, commercial fishing vessels operated by dragging multiple nets through water, scraping the sea bed and disturbing the marine environment. The trawlers operating in Palk Bay have turned the sea surface barren, ridding it of even planktons, the very basis for the marine food chain. The trawlers continue to cause destruction of marine wealth as flouting of rules is not linked to cancellation of licences or denial of subsidised diesel, according to marine experts. Citing the sustainable practices being adopted by the Sri Lankan fishermen after the end of civil war in the island nation, the studies have suggested that there must be strong deterrent mechanisms in place to prevent Indian fishermen from crossing the IMB.