Direct inspection of all categories of country boats, including registered and unregistered vessels, in Mayiladuthurai district will be carried out on June 11 by officials of the Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department, Collector H.S. Srikanth said.

The annual inspection is being undertaken during the 61-day fishing ban period on the east coast of Tamil Nadu from April 15 to June 14 under the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1983, to protect marine resources and facilitate fish breeding.

During the inspection, details such as the seaworthiness of boats, engine horsepower, and dimensions of the vessels would be verified with registration records. Subsidies, including tax-exempt diesel, will be provided based on the inspection.

Boatowners have been asked to keep registration certificates, fishing licence certificates, tax-exempt diesel cards, communication devices, and safety equipment issued by the department ready for verification. They have been instructed to ensure that boats are painted in the prescribed colours and display registration numbers as mandated by the government.

The Collector warned that boats availing tax-exempt diesel but failing to get inspection done would face suspension of the diesel subsidy. Such boats may be treated as non-operational, following which registration certificates could be cancelled after due inquiry.

Requests from boatowners seeking inspection on a later date would not be entertained, the Collector added.