Chennai, Nov 23 (IANS) Terming the proposed Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management) Bill, 2009 as “anti-fishermen”, AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa Monday said her party would oppose the measure.
The bill is in favour of overseas fishing vessels and “contains several provisions to arrest, punish and fine fishermen” if they violate certain terms, Jayalalithaa said in a statement issued here Monday.

“This (central) government enacts law only to threaten its citizens,” Jayalalithaa, also the leader of the opposition in Tamil Nadu, said.

The fisheries bill will make it mandatory for Indian fishermen to get fishing licences and impose a penalty of Rs.900,000 on those who fish beyond 12 nautical miles of the Indian coast.

The fishermen fear such provisions of the bill would enable officials to take vindictive action against them, Jayalalithaa said.

“The bill also enables officials to determine the kind of fishing nets to be used as well as the variety and quantity of fishes that could be caught, while there is no such restrictive conditions for overseas fishing vessels,” she added.

The government has proposed the bill mainly to serve the interests of multi-national companies, the AIADMK leader said.

Attacking DMK leader and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on his silence on the bill, Jayalalithaa said: “If he really has any concern on the well-being of fishermen, he should ask the central government to withdraw the bill or withdraw his party’s support to the government.”

The government is expected to present the bill in parliament in the ongoing winter session.