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Fishing Lights Ban: Strict Warning Issued to Thondi Fishermen
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News18•08-10-2026, 17:39
Fishing Lights Ban: Strict Warning Issued to Thondi Fishermen
- •Some fishermen in Ramanathapuram district are illegally using high-intensity electric lights for fishing to increase profits.
- •This banned practice harms marine resources, disrupts fish reproduction, and rapidly depletes marine wealth by destroying fish fry.
- •Despite awareness campaigns and patrols by fisheries officials, country boat fishermen in Thondi and Pudukudi continue this method.
- •The Department of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare warned that boats used for electric light fishing will be confiscated under the Marine Regulation Act.
- •Fishermen engaging in this illegal practice will also be denied government-provided subsidies and welfare schemes.
Key Questions Answered
Fishermen who use prohibited high-intensity electric lights for fishing risk having their boats confiscated under the Marine Regulation Act, and they will also lose eligibility for government-provided subsidies and welfare schemes.
The government banned this practice because shining bright electric lights at night attracts and catches fish in a way that harms marine resources, disrupts reproduction, destroys fish fry, and rapidly depletes marine wealth.
While Ramanathapuram district fishermen use various methods like mechanized boats, country boats, and shore seines, some country boat fishermen specifically in the Thondi and Pudukudi areas have been engaging in this illegal electric light fishing method for profit.
