Members of the country boat fishermen's association and their kin today organised protest in a novel by distributing porridge at the sea coast near Pamban demanding the release of 28 fishermen arrested recently by the Sri Lankan navy.
The fishermen community leader Sagayam said they had lost their livelihood with the Sri Lankan navy preventing them from fishing even in the traditional areas.
They appealed to the government to ensure their safety and help them fish in the traditional areas of Gulf of Mannar without any hassle.
Porridge distribution demonstration has been organised to highlight the plight of the fishermen in the state, he said.
On March 13, Sri Lankan navy arrested 28 Indian fishermen belonging to Pudukottai, Pamban, and Tuticorin for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in their territory.
One mechanised boat and two country boats of the fishermen were also seized.
(Reopens CES3)
Seagoing fishermen and trawler-owners mostly thought that the ban is only enforced when turtles arrive for breeding and nesting. They have been sensitised on restrictions on human activities in the sanctuary, said Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division, Bimal Prasanna Acharya.
It's pertinent to note here nearly 60,000 turtles had arrived at the Nasi-2 nesting ground from March 16-23 to lay eggs on the sandy beach.
The mass nesting figure was much on the lower side as an estimated 4.14 lakh female turtles had turned to dig pit and lay eggs on the nesting beach during 2016 year.
