Traditional fishers, operating about 50 fishing boats and using the fishing gap in Manassery, Saudi and Kattiparambu, south of Fort Kochi, have appealed to the State government to maintain navigability of the fishing gap to enable traditional fishers to continue to harbour their boats and sell fish in the neighbouring areas.K.P. Vijayakumar of Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedi, representing traditional fishers using the mini fishing harbour north of Chellanam, said the State irrigation department had been trying to protect the fishing gap using granite boulders in the past. However, the recent incidents of heavy weather conditions had resulted in the boulders falling into the waters, making them not suited to the navigation of fishing boats.The situation has resulted in the fishers being forced to take a 12-km route via Thoppumpady to engage in fishing activities in the open sea. The filling of the fishing channel with boulders from the seawall resulted in a fishing boat meeting with an accident about six months ago. The fisherman on the boat has been seriously injured and is still under treatment, said Antony Manassery of the Aikya Vedi, Manassery unit.He said that while the Manassery fishing gap is a blessing for traditional fishers, there is also a fear that there would be serious sea incursion during bad weather conditions, including sea swells. He said residents in the neighbouring areas have appealed to the authorities to erect sea walls to protect the coast.An appeal sent to the Irrigation Department by the Aikya Vedhi said the Kochi Corporation had acquired 30 cents on the south of the fishing gap and set it aside for the needs of the fishers using the fishing gap. The group of fishers using the mini harbour has suggested that the authorities take over sufficient land to prepare ground for visiting tourists with a view to encouraging more visitors to come to the area.Meanwhile, a convention of local people on Monday appealed to the government to make the Manassery fishing gap operational. Father Paul Kochikkaran, who addressed a convention of local people, said the authorities should not ignore the problems being faced by local fishers, who benefit from the fish landing centre.
