NAGAPATTINAM: A total of 157 fishing vessels in the Cauvery delta region are not registered. Of these 126 are purse seiners, an annual inspection by the state Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department has found. Of the 1,592 fishing vessels inspected in the region on Friday, 435 were in Mayiladuthurai. Of the 129 found without registration in the district, 122 were illegal purse seiners from villages such as Thirumullaivasal, Chandirapadi and Poompuhar. The other seven without registration were trawlers.
"The purse seiners are still considered unregistered as a case concerning their legal status is pending in the Supreme Court," a fisheries department official in Mayiladuthurai said. It may be noted that in January this year, the Supreme Court allowed purse seine fishing beyond the territorial waters of Tamil Nadu but within the exclusive economic zone. Those who oppose fishing with the net type have appealed against the verdict citing possible exploitation of fish resources and breakdown of law and order.
"Ever since the Supreme Court verdict, some boat owners are already raring to commence fishing using purse seiners and purse seine nets without our authorisation. So the number of purse seiners has increased from last year. They will be counted as unregistered as the appeal hearing is on,” the official added. In Nagapattinam district, of the 599 fishing vessels inspected, 28 were unregistered. Among the unregistered vessels, four were purse seiners from Nambiar Nagar. The remaining were 24 trawlers.
"We have instructed the errant owners to register their boats as soon as possible," said an official from the fisheries department in Nagapattinam. Further, a total of 148 trawlers and 410 trawlers were inspected in Thanjavur and Pudukkottai districts respectively. All of them were found to be bearing registration.