Fishermen condemn Amendment Act

Protests were held at Rameswaram and Nagercoil and slogans were raised against the government and demanded the legislation to be withdrawn. At Rameswaram, fishermen tore papers of the Amendment Act and threw it in the sea.

Senthilvel, State General Secretary, Fishing Workers Union of CITU, said that the recent amendment had introduced draconian measures in the Amendment Act. Some of them include - Country boat fishermen should not fish within 3 nautical miles from the coast, fishing boats should be registered under the Merchant Shipping Act, fishermen should get fishing equipment such as nets only from registered companies and privatisation of fishing harbours. 

Senthilvel said that the restrictions were unreasonable. Regarding the country boat fishermen not to fish within 3 nautical miles of the coast, he said it is not possible. “Most of them fish in a fibre boat without motors. How can they row their boats for three nautical miles from the coast during the season of rough seas?, he asked.

Similarly, the Amendment Act wants fishermen to buy goods from registered companies. This section favours only multinational companies but the fishermen get nets from the local fishing companies keeping the cost in mind. As the Amendment Act was passed without obtaining views from the fishermen it should be scrapped, demanded Senthil.