SL to only deal with Indian Govt. over fishing issue

By Shanika Sriyananda

The Government said yesterday that it was ready to hold talks only with the Indian Central Government to resolve the issue of Indian fishermen intruding into Sri Lankan waters and would not deal with any fishermen organisations in Tamil Nadu. 

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the Daily FT that the Government would soon have bilateral discussions with the Indian government to find solutions to stop Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters. 

“We will talk to them about robbing our fish resources and also destroying marine resources by using illegal fishing methods like bottom trawling,” he said. 

The Minister reiterated that the Sri Lankan Government would not have talks with the Tamil Nadu Fishermen’s Association (TNFA). 

“Sri Lankan fishermen associations and officials once had discussions with this association and they did nothing to stop their fishermen from intruding into our waters. It is a time-wasting attempt,” he said. 

He said that the Government held talks with the Indian Government over finding a solution to resolve the issue and both governments discussed several options to end Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters. 

“We are hopeful that a final solution to resolve this issue will be reached before next January,” Amaraweera said. 

Meanwhile, the media reported that the TNFA was willing to have talks with the Sri Lankan Government and also to give up bottom trawling if they were given an alternative solution. 

Minister Amaraweera said that the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and the Coast Guards were strongly instructed to arrest all Indian fishermen crossing Sri Lanka’s territorial boundary. 

“Since there is no end to this issue, we will not spare anyone who crosses our border,” he stressed. According to SLN, they have arrested 16 fishermen South of Delft and off the coast of Mannar on Wednesday night. The Navy has taken three boats into their custody and handed them over to the Jaffna and Mannar regional offices of the Fisheries Department. The SLN also arrested 17 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters a week ago. 

When asked about releasing their boats, Amaraweera said there would not be a change in the Government’s decision not to release the boats belonging to the Indian fishermen. 

“We will release the fishermen but not the boats,” he said. 

Amidst several demands by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha to release fishing boats, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also reiterated in Parliament that the Government would not return their fishing boats. 

He informed the Parliament about how the livelihood of Sri Lankan fishermen in the North and East was badly affected due to bottom trawling by Indian fishermen. 

“We will not allow Indian fishermen to catch fish in Sri Lankan waters,” he said when the Opposition asked for an update on the situation.