Hundreds of fishermen on Monday joined the nation-wide protest urging the Centre to not pass the draft Marine Fisheries Bill, 2021, as it was against the interests of traditional fishermen.
Members of over 40 fishermen organisations from Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore and Ramanathapuram districts and Puducherry, protested here under the banner of Tamil Nadu Puducherry Meenavar Peravai.
While thanking Chief Minister M. K. Stalin for urging the Centre not to pass the Bill in its current form, the fishermen said the Tamil Nadu Assembly should pass a resolution against the Bill.
The Peravai requested the State government to amend the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act that had sections similar to that of this draft Bill, which equates fisherwomen, who were major contributors to the industry, with those selling fish commercially.
