Trawler owners, country boat fishers press demands in fight for supremacy

It all started when three country boat fishermen from Rameswaram were recently arrested by Sri Lankan naval personnel for allegedly smuggling narcotics, a charge that can result in the death sentence there. Mechanised boat owners say that as there is no check on country boats, they indulge in such nefarious activities. 

However, country boat fishermen Rameswaram, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai and Nagapattinam districts took up a different issue all together and threatened to agitate in front of fisheries department offices demanding action against using banned nets and explosives by trawlers. Seeking inclusiveness of a different kind, Pamban country boat fishermen’s association president G Arul says country boat fishermen  should also be allowed to participate in the Indo-Lankan fishermen’s talks as their views were never heard though they numbered more than those owning mechanised boats. Seconding his thought, TN fishermen’s federation general secretary CR Senthil says trawlers owners only talk about use of banned nets during Indo-Sri Lanka  fishermen’s talks delaying a permanent solution indefinitely. 

“As the catch is large due to usage of banned nets and explosives, such boats need more crew and hence they usually carry double the regular complement without the knowledge of fisheries department. When such crew are arrested by Sri Lankan Navy, fishermen do not provide full details of the arrested as some might have gone without official knowledge,” he adds.