NAGAPATTINAM: Fishers in Vedaranyam oppose their colleagues from other parts of the State to stay off Kodiyakarai saying it was affecting their livelihood. “We are unable to fish in the Palk Strait without bumping into each other due to increase in the number of boats from other districts. We want fishers from other districts to leave Kodiyakarai,” said V Karthikeyan of Arukatuthurai.
Coromandel Coast becomes rough during North-East Monsoon whereas Palk Strait remains calm as Sri Lanka acts as barrier to strong winds in the Bay of Bengal. Hence the fishers prefer to fish in Palk Strait from November to January. Fishers from Thiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayildathurai and Karaikal come to Kodiyakarai to fish in Palk Strait. There are about 900 fibreglass fishing boats in Kodiyakarai but only 60 belong to locals. “Fishers in Kodiyakarai are divided over allowing people from other districts. The fishers from other districts fetch revenue to locals through accommodation and commerce. Traders also benefit gain as more number of boats berth here. But locals lose livelihood, “ said M Durgeshwaran of Kodiyakarai.
A meeting was arranged in Vedaranyam as fishers threatened to launch agitations but none from Kodiyakarai turned up. R Amal Xavier, Joint Director of Fisheries Department, said, “The fishers from other districts should take permission to berth here. We plan to turn down requests to berth in Kodiyakarai as a solution for this issue.”