More than 50 fishermen in Rameswaram have appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to restore fishing permits and subsidised diesel for fibre and steel boats converted from ageing wooden vessels, after the fisheries department said the modified boats were not eligible for the benefits.
The affected fishermen recently staged a protest outside the fisheries department’s token office in Rameswaram, demanding that their log books be changed and that permits and diesel subsidies be issued for their upgraded boats. They have warned that the agitation could intensify through measures including road blockades if the government does not address their demands.
The dispute has emerged after fishermen replaced wooden boats that had been in use for decades. V.P. Sesuraj, president of the district fishermen’s association, said the Rameswaram port has more than 600 fishing boats and that many of the wooden vessels were about 40 years old. According to him, several had deteriorated to the point that fishermen no longer considered them safe for fishing.
Sesuraj said more than 50 boats in the Rameswaram area had consequently been converted into fibre boats. However, the fisheries department stopped the fishing permits and subsidised diesel previously available to the fishermen, citing the position that fibre boats were not allowed at the port.
The fishermen have argued that the conversions were carried out to protect their livelihoods and safety rather than to bypass regulations. Sesuraj also said fibre and steel boats had been permitted in other ports across Tamil Nadu, and urged the government to clarify why the same category of vessels was being treated differently in Rameswaram.
The permit issue also affects the fishermen’s access to support after incidents at sea. Sesuraj said that when the fibre boats were seized by the Sri Lankan Navy, the fishermen operating them did not receive the relief assistance provided by the government. He warned that the lack of permits, fuel support and post-seizure relief could place the families dependent on these boats under severe financial pressure.
For fishing communities, the dispute links vessel safety, administrative registration and access to operating subsidies. A change in a boat’s material has therefore affected not only the physical craft but also the documentation and benefits associated with it. The fishermen are seeking government intervention to regularise the modified boats and restore the support they say was previously available.
The fishermen have appealed to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to intervene and provide fishing permits and subsidised diesel for the fibre boats operating from Rameswaram. The government’s next step is expected to determine whether the boats can be formally recognised at the port and whether the affected families will regain access to fuel assistance and relief support.
