More than 4,000 mechanised boat fishermen abstained from venturing into the sea for fishing on Friday as the boat owners could not purchase diesel, ice, oil, ration and other essential items following demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 currency notes. As the crisis continued for the second day on Friday in the island after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the two high-denomination currency notes ceased to be legal tender, the boat owners could not mobilise money for purchasing the essential items for fishing and decided to abstain from fishing. As traders and retail fish vendors also expressed difficulty in lifting the catch, leaders of 11 fishermen associations discussed the issue at an emergency meeting and decided not to venture into the sea for fishing till normalcy was restored, P. Sesu Raja, a fishermen’s leader, said. The fishermen had decided to abstain from fishing for a week as they felt that the situation would not ease immediately. Purchase of diesel and making advance payment to the fish workers became a big problem, he said.Traders and retail fish vendors also expressed difficulty in selling sea products and advised the fishermen to abstain from fishing, the fishermen’s leaders said. After the situation eased, the leaders would meet again and take a decision on resuming fishing after assessing the situation, a resolution adopted at the meeting said. The fishermen have decided to abstain from fishing for a week as they felt that the situation would not ease immediately
2016, The Hindu