Sunday Times LK
A proposal by an Indian academic for joint fishing by Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait, without engaging in bottom trawling, was rejected on Friday by Mannar fishermen.
At least 37 fishermen from Mannar representing Pallimunai, Pesalai, and Talaimannar fishing villages were invited for a discussion with Prof. V. Suryanarayan, a leading specialist in South and Southeast Asian studies at the Navy Naval Command in Talaimannar. He was in town this week for the annual International Maritime Conference “Galle Dialogue”.
“In the first place we don’t know why the Navy had to arrange this meeting at a naval base. Also we have made it clear that we won’t allow Indian fishermen to engage in fishing in Lankan waters at any cost,”Mannar Fisheries Cooperative Union leader N.M. Aalam told the Sunday Times.
The discussion was solely focused on the possibilities of joint fishing by fishermen from both countries while Tamil Nadu fishermen were urged to switch to marine environment friendly fishing methods giving up their practice of bottom trawling.
“In addition to upholding the sovereignty of the country, as northern fishermen still struggling to come out from the economic impact of three decades of war, we can’t allow this to continue,” he said.
At the India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group of Fisheries meeting held in New Delhi on November 5, India had agreed at policy level that bottom trawling had caused significant damage to marine resources in the Palk Strit and assured remedial steps will be taken to urge Tamil Nadu fishermen to go for deep sea fishing.
According to the joint communique, the working group consisting of ministers will meet in January next year in Colombo to continue their talks on finding a lasting solution to the poaching crisis.
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