Tamil Nadu proposes two fishing harbours

The Tamil Nadu government has sought Rs 135 crore from the central government to set up fishing harbours.

The state has proposed two harbours for the fishing boats engaged in fishing from Rameswaram. The proposed harbours would come up at Poompuhar in the north with an estimated cost of Rs 75 crore and at Mookaiyur, south of Rameswaram, at a cost of Rs 60 crore. At present, approximately 1,100 mechanised boats are engaged in fishing from Rameswaram.

In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, chief minister J Jayalalithaa also informed that the state was planning to establish a mid seafish processing unit as a Rs 80 crore pilot project for its proposed Mid Sea Fish Processing Park.

Under the project, it plans to station a carrier mother vessel at mid sea. This would act as a source of essential inputs for baby vessels which would be involve in fishing in deep seas. The project, which would also work as a value-added export oriented park, is to support conventional fishermen who suffer from dwindling catch in shallow waters.

The state also requested requested a comprehensive special package of Rs 245 crore together with a recurring expenditure of Rs 10 crore per annum per bar mouth, to meet all the requirements.