Fishermen associations in Rameswaram have announced an indefinite strike from Monday demanding the Tamil Nadu government to intervene and support them by getting them a fair price for the catch.
Speaking to reporters, fishermen leader Sagayam said on Saturday that around 700 mechanised boats ventured into the Palk Straits for fishing from Rameswaram. Directly and indirectly, around 5,000 fishermen and others are dependent on the fishing activities. The fishermen spend around ₹2 lakh to ₹10 lakh on their boats annually for repairs and hoping to repay the loans to debtors they venture into the sea.
However, of late, the merchants have failed to pay a fair price for the catch brought by the fishermen. Almost, whenever a boat returned to the shore, the owner ended up with a loss of ₹20,000 to ₹35,000 due to poor pricing. As a result, the loss accumulated and the fishermen were pushed to face mounting debt, he said and added that varieties like ‘Iral’, ‘kanavoi’ and ‘nandu’ were being procured by the merchants at a very low price.
During the annual 61-day fishing ban period, the price of such varieties revolved around ₹350 per kg while the merchants procured ‘kanavoi’ at ₹250 per kg. This was unfair and the fishermen were disappointed.
To solve the issue, the fishermen leader said that the only way out to save them from the clutches of debt was the government’s intervention. By fixing a support price mechanism, the merchants cannot dictate terms and lift the produce for paltry rates, Mr Sagayam said and added that instead of ending up in losses, the fisherfolks have decided to stay away from fishing indefinitely from Monday (July 8).
The fishermen leaders have submitted a detailed memorandum to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, Fisheries Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan and District Collector B. Vishnu Chandran, he added.
Pamban fishermen stir
Even as the country boat fishermen from the coastal district have been fighting to get the arrested fishermen who were in Sri Lankan prisons and their boats which were impounded freed, the fresh announcement to indefinitely boycott work by mechanised boat fishermen from Rameswaram may force the authorities to hold talks.
The Pamban fishermen have announced indefinite strike to show their protest against the arrest. On Friday, they had staged a demonstration and on Saturday, the fishermen leaders have announced that they would intensify their agitations in the coming days, if there was no relief to their demands.