MADURAI: Condemning the Sri Lankan Navy for arresting Tamil Nadu fishermen, fellow folks put up black flags on country boats anchored close to the shore in Pamban of Ramanathapuram district on Thursday.
A fishing fleet of around 400 country boats turned immobile in Pamban as fishermen abstained from work to voice their protest.
SP Rayappan, president, Ramanathapuram District Country Boats Fishermen Welfare Association, Pamban, said the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 25 fishermen and seized four country boats on grounds of fishing beyond the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) on Monday.
Aggrieved families of those fishermen detained had no other source of income and authorities of India must hold bilateral talks with Sri Lanka to ensure the release of fishermen along with their four boats soon.
“The association at a meeting convened decided to hold an attention-seeking protest in Pamban on Friday,” he said.
SJ Gayes, president, Integrated Traditional Fishermen Association, Tamil Nadu, who took part in the meeting, said traditional fishing became difficult after mechanised trawlers depleted local fish stocks.
As shallow water fish stocks dwindled, the country boat fishers had no other alternative to drop nets and lines into deeper waters.
“As per the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, trawlers were allowed to fish beyond five nautical miles offshore. As per norms, a mechanised trawler has to be equipped with a 240-horsepower engine, but many deep sea trawlers have been using engines that deliver 600 hp and beyond. Moreover, the officials have to check whether all fishing boats were properly registered,” he said.
Chinnathambi, a fisherman from Pamban, said in those days the country boat fishermen especially from Rameswaram, Pamban, and Mandapam engaged in fishing in Palk Strait as per Indo-Sri Lanka agreement and it remains in effect. “But it is unfortunate that without being aware of such a rule, the Sri Lankan Navy detained fishermen unnecessarily,” he said.