Min: Sale of fish at Kasimedu harbour restricted to 5 hours

Min: Sale of fish at Kasimedu harbour restricted to 5 hours

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  22.07.2020

Fish sale at Kasimedu harbour will be restricted to five hours, from 3am to 8am, said fisheries minister D Jayakumar on Tuesday. This curb is among a 14-point charter issued to prevent crowding at the fishing harbour.

The area is already off limits to the general public and is meant only for vendors. Yet, a huge crowd was seen at the market last Saturday, forcing the administration to take action.

According to the charter issued by Jayakumar, only 70 mechanised boats can set sail for fishing on a given day and the catch from only 50 boats will be allowed for sale at the harbour.

Only vehicles of wholesale traders will be allowed into the market and around 600 small-time fish traders will be allowed. These small and medium-level fish vendors will be allowed in four groups of 150 each and only after one group finishes purchase will the next be permitted, said an official release.

Only those with the right identity cards and tokens will be allowed inside the harbour and boats that venture into the sea are required to record their departure and arrival time along with particulars of the boat with the fisheries department.

Boats arriving after 8am will not be allowed to sell their catch on that particular day. Their catch will be slotted for sale only the next day, according to the new regulations. Boat owners and mechanics will be required to carry out repair work on their boats only after sale ends at 8am.

Zonal authorities with the city corporation said they have held a meeting with fishermen committee representatives and the market management committee is also at work. With markets shut on Sunday, Saturdays see huge crowds, officials said.

Fish can be sold at the harbour only from 3am to 8am as per a 14-point charter released by fisheries minister D Jayakumar