A 10-day boat rally from Mangaluru to Thiruvananthapuram, was flagged-off by social activist Medha Patkar here today.
The rally, organised by various fish workers unions, urged the Centre to fulfil their long pending demands.
Vice-president of National Fish workers Forum (NFF) Vasudeva Boloor demanded that the Centre appoint an independent fisheries minister to take care of their grievances.
Addressing the gathering at Bunder near here, Patkar said the sea and fishermen have a mother- child relationship. "Fishermen have fought many battles for the past many decades and they have shown to the world what a unionised struggle is like."
On the debate regarding development at the cost of environment, she said there should not be problems between environment and development.
Minister for Youth, Sports and Fisheries, Abhayachandra Jain and National Secretary of NFF, T Peter spoke on the occasion.
