Catch-22: Fishers seek govt help as 'protected fish' haul seized

DEEP-SEA fishermen from the coastal regions, particularly Thoothoor and Enayam, have sought the state government's intervention against the forest department's seizure of their catch citing the presence of protected species, which are allegedly netted only as bycatch.

- M ABDUL RABI @Kanniyakumari

The demand comes on the heels of the forest department's seizure of the whole catch from three trucks at Thengapattanam fishing harbour on August 19. Two loads of bigeye thresher, some manta ray—both declared "protected" under schedules 1 and 4 of the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Act, 2022—and a few unidentified sharks and fish were seized by the TN Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, said forest officials. Three cases under section 51 of the Act have been registered against three truck owners, and a penalty of ₹10,000 each has been imposed on them, sources said.