NAGAPATTINAM: After being confined to the shore for two weeks owing to bad weather, fisherfolk from Nagapattinam have now begun taking to the sea, disregarding the risks involved. The fisheries department, after grounding a few vessels for violating restrictions, have allowed fishers to venture near the shore. "Some of our men decided to go to sea as the wait was becoming agonising.
There is a good demand for certain fish varieties. So, they've decided to brave the hostile weather to catch some fish, said K Muthuselvam, a fisher-representative from Vellapallam. On Sunday, the fisheries department had pulled up around 13 motorised boats that had ventured into the sea near Arukatuthurai, of which 11 from Vellapallam and two from Akkaraipettai.
The fishers were then warned of action. Currently, mechanised boats are banned from fishing in the sea for a 61-day period to allow fish to breed in the deep sea. They are, however, allowed to travel a short distance from the shore.
But with the weather changing for the worse, fishers were forced to confine themselves within shore. The Regional Meteorological Center in Chennai of the Indian Meteorological Department has warned of squally weather in the South East Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea on May 8 to 11 and advised fishers not to venture into the sea for four days.
A low pressure area was also formed on Monday. With their livelihood severely hit, the department has allowed the fishers to venture into sea during the afternoon schedule depending on the type of fish they will go to catch.
An official from the fisheries department said, "Since those who leave in the afternoon fish a few nautical miles from the shore and return by night, we have allowed them. We are not allowing those who leave at night as they travel for longer distance into the sea and may get caught in rough weather."