Muthalapozhi fishermen can now venture into sea from Neendakara

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The fishermen, who have been facing difficulties in going to the sea from Muthalapozhi during monsoon season, have found a glimmer of hope as the district administration gave an in-principle nod to fish from Neendakara harbour, sources from the fishermen community said.

The fishermen from the region have been experiencing difficulties in launching their boats from Muthalapozhi harbour mouth to the sea due to strong wave patterns.

The tricky currents here have claimed the lives of 58 fishermen and most of the casualties occurred between June and August, when the sea had been tumultuous. 

On Friday, a 19-year-old fisherman went missing and is presumed dead after his boat capsized in a strong wave.

Following this, the representatives of the fishermen met District Collector Navjot Khosa and sought permission to venture into the sea from Thangassery harbour, which is conducive for monsoon fishing.

Nelson Isaac, district vice-president of All Indian Fishermen Congress, said despite their preference for Thangassery harbour, the administration gave an oral permission to launch boats from Neendakara.

“The permission was granted for Neendakara. But we prefer Thangassery as it is spacious enough to land our boats. Apart from space constraints in Neendakara harbour, there had been issues of fishermen from Anchuthengu and the boatmen from Neendakara locking horns in the past. In that scenario, it would have been ideal if the authorities allow us to fish from Thangassery instead of Neendakara,” he said, and added that the church officials from Anchuthengu have been holding discussions with the administration to impress upon them their needs.

Valerian Isaac, the district president of Swathanthra Malsya Thozhilali Federation, said the district administration has given them conditional permission.

”The fishermen going to harbours in other districts should produce a Covid negative certificate. They also need to register their boats and engines at the police station concerned before resuming fishing,” he said.