NAGARKURNOOL: At a time when officials of the Fisheries and Police Departments are intensifying their crackdown on banned nets in Nagarkurnool, several fishermen in the district say that the ban is actually a boon.
The community claims that the fisherfolk from the bordering villages in Andhra Pradesh have been using these nets to catch fish from the Krishna River. These nets can pull out both small and large fishes, and in turn, damage the river’s ecosystem. Fishermen from Nagarkurnool district want the officials to take action against users of these nets, as it adversely affects their livelihood as well.
In Andhra Pradesh, areas like Anala, Kondapaturu, Srisailam, Pathalaganga, Sangameswaram and Siddeswaram have been witnessing a massive surge in the use of banned nets. It is also learnt that businessmen and investors are roping in fishermen from Visakhapatnam to hunt fish for them using the banned nets.
Nagarkurnool fishermen claim that this will only lead to the extinction of various fish species. The Fisheries and Police Department had recently raided godowns and seized banned nets from various parts of the district. They have decided to amp up their vigil.
Speaking about the same, a fisheries official Radha Rohini said, “We are taking strict measures to prevent such illegal acts in the Krishna River. We have already conducted raids in a few areas.”