Chennai: DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Wednesday flayed the amendment to the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act as the norms for fishing and the punishment for violations have been made stringent.
The amendment is against interests of fishermen and it will add to their misery, he said. The amendment was drafted without consulting fishermen representatives strongly opposing it saying it would affect their livelihood, he complained.
Karunanidhi said instead of protecting the fishermen suffering from attacks by the Sri Lankan navy, the state government had paved the way for fine up to '50,000.
The state government’s action had complicated the fishermen’s problems instead of solving them, the DMK leader said.
As per the amendment, those below 18 years could not be involved in fishing activities and the length of fishing boats should be increased. Besides, the amendment stipulated that power of the engine should correspond with the boat design.
It also makes it mandatory for fishermen not to use motor boats within a distance of five km from the coast and allows deep sea fishing only after a distance of 12 km. Violating the norms will attract punishments like cancellation of licences and all government concessions, he noted.
