Tamil Nadu government cracks whip against fishermen using banned nets
What's the story
The Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department with the help of the Indian Coast Guard today seized around 80 banned fishing nets from fishermen in Rameswaram. The Sri Lankan Navy has been complaining about Indian fishermen allegedly using banned fishing nets, destroying their fish species. The Navy had also charged the Indian fishermen with poaching even protected fish species. Read the details here.
Details
Despite warning, fishermen using double-fold nets in Gulf of Mannar
The state Deputy Director of Fisheries E Kathavarayan said that banned fishing nets not only caused severe damage to the fish population in the seas, but also resulted in the pollution and contamination in fish food. Despite repeated warnings, the fishermen were allegedly using the irattai madi (double fold) nets, killing fish species in the Gulf of Mannar.
Fine imposed
Authorities slapped Rs. 26L fine over banned-nets in last months
The fisheries department official said that it seized banned fishing nets from 86 fishing boats. Kathavarayan also said the Fisheries Department had been acting time and again and had slapped a fine of Rs. 26 lakh in the last few months on fishermen who had used banned nets. However, they were repeatedly indulging in violating the Wildlife Act and using banned nets, he added.
Warning
Would seize boats along with nets, warns the fisheries department
The fisheries official said the department did not have sufficient infrastructure to tackle the issue of fishermen violating norms. He said that soon one boat would be procured to monitor the fishermen. The official, however, warned that in future, the boats would also be seized along with the fishing nets if the fishermen continued to violate the norms.