Stating that a majority of mechanised boat operators violate the norms while fishing in Palk Bay, the Country Boat Fishermen Association led by the CITU (Kadal Thozhilalargal Sangam) has asked the Fisheries Department to put an end to the violation immediately. Submitting a detailed petition to Collector Shankar Lal Kumawat at the Collectorate during the weekly grievances meeting held on Monday, the CITU-led delegation said that mechanised boat fishermen in Mandapam violated the norms and indulged in fishing within five nautical miles. Apart from this, the delegation said that many mechanised boat operators damaged the natural reserves in the sea from Mandapam to Yerwadi. The forest department should conduct surveillance and punish the boat operators, they added. The memorandum also claimed that many Thoothukudi based boat operators fitted high horse-power motors, which were permitted only for deep-sea fishing boats, and engaged in fishing in Valinokkam, Mundal, Mariyur, Naripayur and Mookaiyur region.
Likewise, many of the mechanised boat operators obtained permission for fishing three days in a week but clandestinely fished for the remaining days also without getting tokens. The members also said that many mechanised boat operators from Rameswaram, Pamban and Mandapam had set off to the sea from Monday and were carrying banned fishnets. Later, speaking to reporters, CITU district secretary M. Karunamoorthy said that the district administration should conduct fishermen grievance meeting every month, which was being conducted by Collectors in Kanniyakumari and Thoothukudi. About three years ago, citing some vague reasons, the then Collector had suspended the meeting, he pointed out.
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