Fishermen strike leads to production loss of Rs 16 crore

Rameswaram Island, Jul 12 (UNI) The indefinite strike by the fishermen had so far resulted in a production loss of around Rs 16 crore for the fishing industry in the island town of Rameswaram, one of the major marine food centres in South India.

Fishing operations were severely hit in Rameswaram, as the indefinite strike being observed by the fishermen, affiliated to various associations has entered the eighth consecutive day, today.

Official sources said the Rameswaram fishermen used to catch more than 1,000 tonnes of fish per day that included valuable lobsters, squids, prawns, vanjiram, crabs, vaval. Apart from local consumption, a sizeable number of lobsters, large-sized prawns, vanjirams, crabs and squids were taken to Kochi, Tuticorin and Chennai ports for export to foreign countries.

The strike had affected the livelihood of about 20,000 people, including fishermen, boat mechanics, agents, boat owners and ice manufacturing units, among others.

About 3,000 fishermen of over 850 registered mechanized fishing boats in the island here kept off the sea from July 5 to protest against the indiscriminate attacks by the Sri Lankan navy.

The striking fishermen were demanding that the Indian Government immediately take up the issue and safeguard their lives from the Lankan navy attack.

Meanwhile, the fishermen stir was expected to be intensified in the coming days in view of another high-handedness of Lankan navy, today.

They allegedly shot dead two fishermen, hailing from Nagapattinam and critically injured another fishermen at mid-sea off Point Calimere early today.

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