Saturday May 16, 2026
Saturday May 16, 2026
Saturday, 16 May 2026 01:44 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay
Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar yesterday urged newly elected Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to prohibit bottom trawling, describing the practice as destructive and noting that it has been banned in Sri Lanka since 2017.
Addressing a media briefing in Kilinochchi, Minister Chandrasekar said Sri Lanka remained willing to resolve the long-standing fisheries conflict in the Palk Strait through discussions and diplomatic engagement.
He said he hoped to travel to Tamil Nadu to hold discussions with Chief Minister Vijay following his election.
Responding to questions from journalists, the Minister referred to the continuing fisheries dispute between northern Sri Lankan fishermen and Indian fishermen operating from Tamil Nadu, particularly over the use of bottom trawling in Sri Lankan waters.
The fisheries conflict in the Palk Strait has remained a longstanding issue between the two countries, with Sri Lankan authorities and northern fishing communities repeatedly raising concerns over environmental damage and the impact on local livelihoods caused by bottom trawling practices.
