Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Boat seizure leaves fishermen fuming

VISAKHAPATNAM: The recent seizure of two mechanised boats by Visakhapatnam Port Central Industrial Security Force and later filing of police cases on security grounds have left the fisherfolk seething with anger.

Twelve persons were detained by CISF personnel during patrolling after seizing the two vessels for intruding into `prohibited’ area near near Dolphin’s Nose.

Later they were handed over to Harbour police station and released only after the intervention of the boat owners.

About 580 mechanised and Sona boats operate from Visakhapatnam and a few among them return to the jetty through Dolphin’s Nose side in shallow waters after going to Gangavaram/Yarada konda for fishing. Fishermen and the crew are upset with regular threats of arrest and boat seizure after the Mumbai terror attacks.

They feel that in the event of any suspicious object or movement of any unauthorised vessel or suspicious element, it is the fishermen who have the ability to alert the authorities.

“But such harassment dampens our spirit despite our wholehearted cooperation to beef up security arrangement at a time when fishing industry is in crisis,” AP Mechanised Boat Operators’ Association president P.Ch. Appa Rao told The Hindu on Saturday.

“They were carrying all valid documents after duly registering the boats with the Mercantile Marine Department under the Ministry of Shipping and Department of Fisheries of AP Government. Registry particulars are also available with Traffic Department of Visakhapatnam Port,” he said.

Identity cards were issued to the crew by the association and later the Fisheries Department also took a decision to issue similar cards.

The boat owners in another development also represented to the police and the port officials to stop boat ride by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism in a luxury vessel from zero jetty up to jetty No. 11 in the vicinity of inner harbour and fishing harbour by the APTDC.

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