Highlighting that the ban on use of ring nets is taking a toll on the livelihood of fishermen, Andhra Pradesh Matsya Karmika Sangham leader and CPI State assistant secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy has demanded that the government must take immediate measures to provide a solution to the issue.
The Sangham, affiliated to the AITUC, took out a rally in this regard from Saraswathi Park to the District Collectorate on Wednesday.
Mr. Murthy questioned the rationale behind imposing a ban on the use of ring nets by fishermen at Uppada and Bheemunipatnam.
Showing the orders of a Single Judge Bench on a case filed under the AP-MRF (A) Act, he said only fishermen who had registered their ring nets were being allowed to use them up to a distance of 8 km from the coast and this was affecting the livelihood of fishermen at large.
“Even as the AP MRF Act does not specify that only a particular type of net that has to be used. The fishermen of Bheemunipatnam mandal have been ensuring that the holes in the nets were more than 1 inch in size for the last 20 years. More than 25 families are dependent on each of the 83 ring nets being used in the mandal and their livelihood is under threat now,” said Mr. Murthy.
He said there was no ban on use of ring nets in some mandals in Visakhapatnam and other coastal districts. Later, the Sangham submitted a memorandum to the officials. Sangham leaders Yerripalli Nandanna, Chelluri Bujji, Nookalamma, Vamana Murthy and Nallayya were among those who participated in the protest rally.
