Fishermen in Chennai have urged the Tamil Nadu government to train them in tuna gill-net fishing and provide loans for the purchase of specialised boats and nets.

If the tuna fishing harbour constructed at a cost of ₹200 crore at Tiruvottiyur Kuppam is to be put to use, fishermen must have the skills to catch quality tuna suitable for export, said M.D. Dayalan of the Indian Fishermen Association.

“In Tamil Nadu, only fishermen from areas near Kanniyakumari know how to catch tuna in the deep sea. If the fish caught is to be exported, it needs to be processed immediately, which means the boats must have specialised storage facilities. Loans were provided to fishermen in the south to help them buy large boats and encourage them to venture into the deep sea. We need similar support here. The livelihoods of fishermen using the nearby Kasimedu harbour will then see a marked improvement,” said community leader M.E. Raghupathi.

Harbour remains locked

The harbour, which was envisaged as far back as 2015, was opened for use some time ago but is currently under lock and key.

“Earlier, fishermen from Tiruvottiyur Kuppam used to keep their boats at the harbour, but they no longer do so. The breakwaters do not function properly and allow waves to enter the harbour area, causing boats to collide with each other and sustain damage. We also do not keep our boats there as the waters are unsafe,” said Joseph, a fisherman from another village.

Fishermen said that the harbour lacks facilities such as pre-processing, where the innards are removed, post-processing, and waste management.

“Only if the harbour is maintained well and equipped with world-class facilities will we be able to obtain certification for exports. The bane of the Kasimedu Fishing Harbour is the lack of cleanliness. Toilets and drinking water facilities have also not been provided adequately,” said a fisheries industry expert.