Back to work after a break

Fishermen are now preparing to venture into sea as the 45-day ban on fishing is coming to a close. As scientists found fish breeding to be active during April and May, fishing by mechanised boats in the east coast of Tamil Nadu has been prohibited between April 15 and May 29. The two-lakh fishermen spread over 13 coastal districts of the state pulled their boats offshore and carried out overhauling works, apart from mending fishnets.

Now the fisherfolk across the state have started taking out their boats for a trial run after a month.

Fishermen had welcomed the 45-day holiday as it facilitates increase in fish production. There are over 50,000 registered fishing vessels in Tamil Nadu of which 5,596 are mechanised fishing boats.

The state government had announced that they would pay Rs 500 per family during the mandatory fishing ban period, which benefitted two lakh fishermen families and cost the government Rs10 crore.

Mr A. Alwyn, fishermen from Rameswaram said, “Even though the ban on fishing would help us in getting a good catch, it does not lend us any hand in getting more money. The agents form a syndicate and bring down the price of our catch. So the fisher folk’s dream of earning more money after the holiday does not realise.” The Rameswaram fishermen have a different issue, apart from the price.

They are have the fear of being attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy, which hampers their free movement in the sea.

The ban came into effect after the Centre suggested it — by a mutual consensus among all maritime States — to conserve and replenish fishery wealth. It is being enforced since 2001 in the State.