Ban(e) of livelihood

The Fisheries Department had issued the state-wide order in September 2016. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and Forest Department have identified the nesting sites of Olive Ridley turtles in the coastal districts of Chennai, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thoothukudi, Ramananthapuram and Kanyakumari, where this ban will be implemented. 

The community said that the traditional fishermen will bear the brunt of the ban. CR Senthil, General Secretary, Tamil Nadu Fishermen’s Federation said that the country craft are not powerful enough to go beyond the specified distance for fishing purposes. “We can understand if powerful motor boats were banned. But the traditional fishermen using country craft are already having a bad time making ends meet,” he said, adding around 1,000 fishermen plan to hold a protest this month end.

The ban would force them to remain idle for over six months in a year, say fishermen. “This ban will go on till April. After that, there is the 45-day fishing ban, in addition to the monsoon months, cyclone warning etc. Effectively, they can fish only for a few months every year. The ban will also not help the conservation efforts as other violations such as construction on coastal zones and sand mining are left unchecked, which also impact the Olive Ridley nesting season,” said Senthil. 

M Kadumbadi, a 36-yearold fisherman from Vadapattinam, said that this is the season when the fishing is most profitable. “The first few months of the year are when there are a lot of fish. This ban will eat into the already meagre earnings of traditional fishermen,” he said. 

Injambakkam H Sekar, another fisherman felt there is no logic to banning country craft. “Earlier, the country craft would use sails or oars, which has now been replaced by motors. Other than this, every other aspect of fishing is the same. Traditional fishermen consider the sea turtle as God and would never hurt the species,” said 62-year old Sekar. 

Some of the sites chosen are not key nesting areas, said the fishermen, adding that they have not been consulted before the ban was implemented. Antony S, from Nagercoil, said that among the sites chosen, 18 locations in Kanyakumari district are not relevant to the nesting season. “Why have the fishermen, who are well acquainted by the coast, not been consulted? This move has taken us by surprise,” said the 55-year-old.

Shravan Krishnan, who has been a part of the Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network said that the fishing ban shouldn’t include traditional fishermen. “The trawlers and deep sea fishing vessels are the biggest problems. In addition, gill nets and trawling nets should be equipped with turtle excluder device (TED), which will go a long way in Olive Ridley conservation. The traditional fishermen have been a huge part of our conservation efforts. Most of the hatcheries are in fishing hamlets and the local fishermen take care of them. They also alert us when they come across a nest,” he said.

As objections continue to persist over the draft policy document providing policy directives to the government for the overall development, regulation and management of the entire marine fisheries sector of the country, the Madras High Court has taken a strong exception to the union government’s failure to indicate as to when the final policy will be released. 

The First bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sundar pointed out that an adjournment to answer this query was sought on November 15, 2016. But with a similar adjournment being sought when the case came for hearing on Wednesday, the bench said “Unless the Union government was able to answer as to within how much time the final policy on Marine Fisheries will be finalised, the official concerned shall remain present in the court on the next date of hearing, that is on January 17, 2017.”

The issue pertains to a plea moved by Fisherman Care, represented by its president LTA Peter Rayan that the new guidelines changes the definition of Deep Sea Fishing Vessels, reducing the overall length to 15 meters from 20 meters as prescribed under the original guidelines issued by the department in 2004. 

The state government had also informed the court that the guidelines issued by the central government asking fishermen to obtain letter of permission for fishing activity by vessels of 15 metres overall length and above was “highly impractical”. 

However, the Centre in its counter had submitted that the draft national policy on Marine Fisheries, 2016 is not a reiteration of the guidelines issued in 2014. The counter also noted that the suggestions provided in the draft policy on fishing operations in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) beyond “12 nautical miles” will be considered appropriately, considering the interests of the traditional and motorised sectors of the fishing industry. 

It was also submitted that the earlier policies of deep sea fishing allowing joint venture, charter, lease and test fishing were rescinded based on the recommendations submitted by the Murari Committee in 1996. The counter also reiterated that foreign fishing vessels are not allowed to fish in the Indian EEZ since 1996.