NAGAPATTINAM: The two-day annual inspection of mechanised boats to ensure they comply to guidelines as prescribed by the Marine Fishing Regulation Act kicked off in the delta districts on Wednesday.
Multiple teams of officials from the State fisheries department have commenced inspection of trawlers and gillnetters in Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai, and Thanjavur districts as part of routine during the annual fishing ban.
"Officials are checking whether the mechanised boats are within the legal overall length of 25 metres, and have an engine with power equal to or lesser than 240 HP. They are also inspecting for valid registration, licence, and other documents like fuel subsidy records," said a department official.
The inspections are being held at four places in Mayiladuthurai district: Pazhaiyar, Tirumullaivasal, Poompuhar and Tharangambadi, and three places in Nagapattinam district, namely Nagapattinam, Nagore and Arukatuthurai. The inspections are also under way at Jegathapattinam in Pudukkottai district, and
Mallipattinam in Thanjavur district.
Further, the officials are inspecting the boats owned by fishers from Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts which are berthed at Karaikal harbour. Five teams are undertaking the inspection in Mayiladuthurai district, eight in Nagapattinam district, three in Pudukkottai district and two in Thanjavur
district. Each team comprises an inspector and an overseer. The teams are monitored by assistant directors who, in turn, are directed by a deputy director.
"The local officials are generally not deputed to inspect the boats in order to prevent chances of corruption during the inspection. The department is thus ensuring that the inspections are held in a fair and free manner," said an official.
The officials had earlier insisted all owners to submit all their boats for inspection, failing which their vessels would be considered inactive and their registration, cancelled. The owners have also been warned of cancellation of fuel subsidy.
Further, the officials had stressed that requests from fishers for inspection on later dates would not be entertained.