Chennai, 28 March 2020
Due to social distancing and isolation measures to stop the spread of Covid- 19, the livelihood of fishermen is seriously affected. So NAF requested Fisheries Minister of Tamilnadu to consider the following demands and take necessary action.
- The fishing ban is enforced from April 15 to June 14 to facilitate the breeding of fish and conservation of fish stock in marine ecology. However the ban doesn’t seem to serve its purpose. Because the ban
period is construed as peak fishing season. On the other hand, due to fluctuation in weather conditions, the period from September to November is considered as the lean period. The fishing activity can take
place without any disturbance from April to June during the hot weather. But during rainy season, it is often disrupted due to the onset of Northeast monsoon, which happens in October and successive
months. So, the ban on fishing using mechanised boats can be shifted to the Northeast monsoon season to ensure fishermen are not unemployed twice a year. - In the year 2020, the fishermen are already not going for fishing because of covid-19 and low selling due to national lockdown. So for the survival of fishermen, we request you not to put ban for fishing in coming months.
- Since the livelihood is completely dependent on fishing, lockdown puts the fishermen, fisherwomen and aquaculture workers are under great financial pressure. So we kindly request you to provide additional sum of Rupees ten thousand apart from the actual benefit.
- Kindly reschedule the bank loan repayment of Fishermen loans in private, public sector and cooperative banks.
