In an effort to mitigate escalating conflicts with fishermen communities in Chennai, mechanised boat owners in Puducherry have agreed to refrain from venturing beyond the Union Territory’s territorial limits in violation of existing laws. This agreement was reached during a consultation convened by the Department of Fisheries.
Officials from the Department of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare reported at least three recent incidents where fishermen from Puducherry and Karaikal were accosted, and their vessels were seized or driven back by local fishermen in the neighbouring State. Traditionally, mechanised trawlers from Thengaithittu were permitted to operate beyond the boundary reserved for traditional activities off Mammallapuram and Kasimedu as a gesture of amicable accommodation. However, recent tensions have risen when fishermen from the Karaikal-Nagapattinam region trawled in nearshore waters at Pazhavarkedu, causing conflicts with traditional fishers in Tamil Nadu.
In Puducherry, marine regulation laws reserve up to 3 nautical miles from the shoreline for traditional fishing activities, allowing mechanised trawlers to operate beyond that up to 12 nautical miles within territorial jurisdiction. In Tamil Nadu, the Marine Fisheries Regulation Act of 1983 reserves up to five nautical miles for traditional fishing, with mechanised trawling permitted up to the territorial limit of 12 nautical miles.
“For the past two years, mechanised trawlers from the Karaikal-Nagapattinam region have undertaken multi-day fishing trips in nearshore waters reserved for traditional fishing off the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh,” an official stated. “A few days ago, some trawlers were stopped and chased back while fishing close to the Pulicat coastline.”
In one incident, two boats from Puducherry that operated beyond the nearshore limits were seized by Kasimedu fishermen and later released following the intervention of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu officials, with an assurance that the fishermen would avoid Chennai waters.
The Fisheries Department promptly convened a consultation led by Mohammed Ismail, Fisheries Director, and K. Deivasigamani, Joint Director, with representatives of the over 100 registered mechanised boat owners berthed at Thengaithittu to ensure adherence to territorial limits. G. Rajendiran, Fisheries Deputy Director (Mechanisation), emphasized that Puducherry fishermen are not permitted to cross the border at Kanagachettikulam, beyond which lies Tamil Nadu marine jurisdiction.
Recent incidents involving nearshore fishing by trawlers from the Karaikal-Nagapattinam area, resulting in livelihood losses for traditional fishermen and damage to gill nets, have exacerbated the situation.
The Fisheries Department has also written to the Port authorities to initiate measures to prevent non-local fishermen from using the Uppalam harbour as an anchorage point for illegal fishing forays into coastal waters of Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Chennai, and areas in Andhra Pradesh, causing substantial livelihood losses for traditional fishermen in these regions.
“We also plan to have a joint consultation with representatives from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to develop a sustainable mechanism to avoid potential conflicts,” the official added
Source: The Hindu
