Fishermen using mechanised vessels (trawlers and purse-seine) in coastal Karnataka called off their strike on Thursday after holding massive protest rallies in Udupi and Mangaluru on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

“We will wait for a week or so to get the reaction from the government to our demands, including our opposition to direct benefit transfer (DBT) of subsidy, before chalking out further course of action,” said Nithin Kumar, President of Manglore Trawl Boat Meenugarara Sangha. Members cannot be made to endlessly wait on the shore and be deprived of their income, he said.

About 150 vessels from Mangaluru Bunder have left on Thursday and gradually all vessels would leave after filling with diesel and ice. There is shortage of ice too, Mr. Kumar said. Vessels would take at least a week to return to the shores, he added.

While the primary grouse is against DBT of subsidy, which hitherto was being reflected in subsidised rates of diesel at the rate of 300 litres per day per vessel, fishermen also have been demanding increase in the daily quota to 600 litres, abolition of the one ration card, one vessel rule and many more.

Udupi: The fishermen staged a protest against the direct transfer of diesel subsidy into the bank account in Malpe port on Tuesday August 4.

Under the Direct Benefit Transfer, the subsidy amount on purchase of diesel for fishing boats is directly credited to the account of the boat owner. Earlier diesel was being provided at subsidised rates at petrol bunks at the port.

“If the government starts crediting money directly to our account, fishermen will face various problems. In some cases the subsidy will be very high. If officials consider this amount while distributing ration cards, it may create problems for us. If the subsidy is high, there is a possibility of many families being excluded from the BPL list,” a fisherman explained.

“Once categorised as an APL family, we may lose subsidy in the future. If subsidy money is credited to our bank accounts, we may even be liable to pay Income Tax,” he said.

The income from fishing varies. Though in some cases there are huge money transactions, there is not much profit. A major portion of the income has to be reserved for repair and maintenance and for depreciation of the boat value. The profit is very little in fishing. Many a time we spend a lot of money on fuel for fishing but the catch is very less. In such a situation if the subsidy amount is credited to the bank, we may face various problems said protesters.

Above all this we fear that the money may not be credited properly. We fill diesel in huge quantities which costs lakhs of rupees. If the subsidy amount is delayed or not credited to our account, we will surely be in trouble they added.

A memorandum was handed over to the chief minister through district deputy commisioner. More than 2000 farmers took part in the protest.

Gangolli: The fishermen performed a mass sea worship (Samudra Pooje) on Thurday July 2 at Shri Varahi swamy temple organised by Kundapur taluk traditional boat fishermen.

President of Gangolli zone indigenous boat fishermen association, K. Manju Billava and president of indigenous boat fishermen association Byndur zone, B. Kumar led the holy program at Shri Gangadhareshwar temple in Maravante, Arama temple (Bobbarya and Varaha), Shri Vishnu and Shri Narasimha temple and Kshetra Pala temple.

Chowki Vittoba Kharvi, Secretary, Gangolli indigenous boat fishermen association, former secretary B. Suresh Bangera Kodi, Secretary Nagapayya Patel, Vice president of Byndur indigenous boat fishermen association B. Mahesh Kharvi, K.M Somashekar, secretary Shekar Kharvi and many others were present.

 

Mumbai: A fisherman was "accidentally" shot by maritime security personnel, on Sunday at Bombay High in Arabian Sea, while fishing close to oil rigs.

"On the evening of May 17, an Immediate Support Vessel (ISV) was on a coastal security patrol in the Offshore Development Area i.e. Bombay High, around 80 km from Mumbai. While providing protection to the offshore oil rig, ISV noticed a fishing boat anchored close to an oil platform," said Commander Rahul Sinha, spokesperson of Ministry of Defence, in a statement released during the wee hours of Monday.

According to him, he repeatedly warned the fisherman to move the boat out of the prohibited area.

When a warning shot was fired into the water, "one round got deflected on hitting the water and accidentally hit a fisherman in the boat."

The boat is said to be fishing close to one of the various oil rigs of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

Immediately after the incident, the casualty was flown to Nanavati Hospital in Santacruz by ONGC. According to initial information, the casualty Sushant Luze's condition is stable and vital parameters being monitored.

An enquiry has been ordered into the incident.

But the episode has drawn criticism from fishing community. Damodar Tandel, Chairman of Akhil Maharashtra Macchimar Kruti Samiti said that there would be rallies opposing this act.

This is not the first time that fisherman has been fired upon near an oil rig. Back in March 31, 2008 15 fishermen had climbed an unmanned oil platform and one of the fisherman was shot while they were trying to fled from the Heera/ Neelam oilfields of ONGC.

According to a naval officer, it is quite often that fishermen go close to oil platforms in the sea and each time they are asked to sail away. "The lights from the oil rigs that fall in water attract good number of fishes. This results in fishing boats closing in to the oil fields for a good catch," said the officer.

At least 38 Indian fishermen have been arrested by Pakistan maritime officials for allegedly violating territorial waters in the Arabian Sea, police said on Thursday.

Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (MSA) arrested the fishermen on January 21 and seized seven of their boats from the open sea in the unmarked territorial water in the Arabian Sea near the port city of Karachi. The fishermen were later handed over to police, a police official said, confirming the arrest.

"They are being charged with illegally trying to enter Pakistan through sea," said the official.

Pakistan and India regularly arrest the rival fishermen in the disputed waters as the maritime border in the Arabian Sea is poorly defined. The arrested men usually languish in jails for months and are often released at so-called important occasions like bilateral visits of top leaders.

Pakistan set free 151 Indian fishermen when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited New Delhi last year to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

MADURAI: Customs officials seized 2.3 kilogram of gold from two fishermen in Rameswaram on Sunday.

The officials raided the homes of Murugavel and Danistan in Dhanushkodi and seized gold biscuits worth Rs 57 lakh.

Smuggling of gold through the sea route has been on the rise in the recent times and customs and the Q branch of the Tamil Nadu police have intensified patrolling along the coast.

Fishermen in the region receive gold being smuggled from Sri Lanka and hand it over to the smugglers in the country.

The British navy has released a fishing boat with a crew of 14 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Kerala which was apprehended near Diego Garcia island in the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Fisheries officials in Chennai confirmed that the British navy had released the boat - Greeshma - which was apprehended on December 5 for violating the borders.

"We received information about their release, and they are sailing back home. The fishers allege that there are eight more boats in the custody of the British navy. However, we could not confirm the report. We are optimistic that the British navy will release other fishermen soon," a senior official at the fisheries department said.

"We are glad that they are released. We pray for their safe sail back home," said the boat owner, K Tito of the Chinnathurai coastal hamlet.

P Justin Antony of Tamil Nadu Fishermen Development Trust thanked the efforts of the state and central governments to get the fishermen released.

Among the 14 fishermen, eight belonged to Chinnathurai hamlet, one was from Thoothoor village (both villages in Kanyakumari), two were from Rameswaram and three were from Kerala. The boat sailed from Kochi on November 21.

Fishers in Thoothoor fear that eight more boats and nearly 90 fishermen were still in the British navy's custody.