NAGAPATTINAM: The simmering tension among coastal villages of the district following a fatal mid-sea clash last month escalated on Wednesday after motorised boat owners who ventured into sea for fishing after a two-week hiatus complained of their nets yet again being damaged by trawlers.
Following the deaths of two fishermen from Akkaraipettai in a mid-sea clash allegedly with those from Keechankuppam in mechanised boats on February 26, the fisherfolk in Seruthur and Vedaranyam taluks declared an indefinite stoppage of fishing activities.
The protesting fisherfolk, who predominantly undertake fishing in motorised boats, then engaged in talks with officials demanding a total ban on trawling. The talks, however, failed after mechanised boat owners refused to stop trawling, as a majority of their vessels are trawlers.
Collector Johny Tom Varghese subsequently pointed to the motorised boat owners in Seruthur and Vedaranyam taluks that they were harming their own livelihoods, and urged them to resume fishing. Accordingly, several dozens of motorised boats ventured into sea from Arukatuthurai on Wednesday.
A fisheries department official, however, said, "We received reports that the [fishing] nets of at least nine motorised boats from Arukatuthurai were damaged by trawlers." Following the complaints of recurring damage, tension among the coastal villages escalated.
Realising that the “danger has not passed”, many of the villages again suspended fishing activities. "It seems the conflict will last forever unless trawling is banned. We are looking forward to a final meeting with the collector to prevent the conflict from stretching farther," said V Karthikeyan, a fisher representative from Arukatuthurai.