No more permitted users, crackdown on purse seine nets begins in Mayiladuthurai

MAYILADUTHURAI: Declaring that there are no more registered purse seine fishers in the district after the lone three who were permitted to resort to the fishing method are said to be switching back to trawling, the fisheries department has begun to seize the nets used for the activity from harbours. The Supreme Court early last year passed an order allowing the use of purse seine fishing nets albeit with conditions like setting specific hours for fishing with it and confining its usage to an area within the exclusive economic zone but outside the territorial sea waters. "There are no legal users of purse seine fishing in Mayiladuthurai district currently after the three are switching back to trawling. With the district recording a history of violence breaking out between two groups over “illegal” purse seine fishing shortly after the apex court verdict, a team led by Elamvazhudi accompanied by personnel from the police and the marine enforcement wing held searches at the harbour in Poompuhar on Wednesday.