Illegal fishing poses threat to Netravati water

Illegal fishing poses threat to Netravati water

Mangalore Today News Network

Bantwal, February 21: Due to illegal fishing by the non-local fishermen, who belong to nomad community, the Netravati river water is getting contaminated and it has been alleged that organisms living in water are being destroyed. More than 25 fishermen family members from Shimoga and Chikmagalur have landed up in Bantwal taluk and are engaged in illegal fishing.

 

 

The educationists in the region are curious about these fishermen as it is not only the men and women who are involved in fishing, but also the small children who should be in school.

The localites are annoyed with these fishermen who spread the fishing net on the river in the evenings and go back home with net full of fishes the next morning. If the children help to move the coracle to spread the net, the women in the tent help to separate fishes from the net. The same coracle used for spreading the net in the evening takes form of the tent during night.

The people who were already concerned about the death of fishes due to the MRPL dam and Thumbe dam are now yet more annoyed with the fishermen being the cause for the death of fishes. One of the localites said, fishes like Mugudu, Aburoni, Puriyolu and Madenji were easily available earlier, but now they can find only Kijan and Koorlu fishes.

“These fishermen catch the fishes in Netravati River and sell them in Bantwal, B C Road, Farangipet, Adyaru, Kannur and other places for high rates.” he said.

There are raising concern against the mercury and explosives to catch the fishes. The small fishes caught in the net are thrown back to the river by these fishermen causing a bad smell in the entire environment. But the silence of the people’s representatives and the authorities concerned to control the issue has disappointed the local public. dhns