Indian fishermen in Lankan waters treated humanely

By P. Krishnaswamy

In an interview with the Sunday Observer, Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Dr. Rajitha Senaratne spoke on the Government’s position in relation to the fishermen’s cross-border issue that has now taken centre stage with India expressing a desire for a Common Fishing Zone in the Palk Strait and the Mannar Gulf.

The Minister also spoke about the facilities provided to the Northern fishermen to boost the industry and improve their standard of living. He explained the actual situation with regard to allegations that fishermen from the South are taking over the fishing rights of the Mullaitivu fishermen and pointed out the falsehoods in media reports. He said that the much anticipated Dikkowita Fishing Harbour will be opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa next month or early October.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: India has recently proposed that Sri Lanka’s traditional fishing waters in the Palk Strait and the Mannar Gulf be considered as a Common Fishing Zone between the two countries to resolve the fishermen’s cross-border issue. What is the position of the Government on this?

A: We have not taken any decision on that. It is necessary for us to maintain the international maritime borders.

This is a law of the sea under the UN Convention and we cannot violate it. Every State member of the UN has to abide by that. But when countries want to come together and take decisions on crucial matters, the national interests of the countries involved should be given preference.

Q: According to media reports, Indian Union Minister of Agriculture Sarad Pawar is to visit Colombo next week. Will this issue be discussed with him during his visit?

A: The dates have not been confirmed as yet. The Secretary to Union Minister Sarad Pawar has informed me that he is very keen to meet me either in Colombo or in New Delhi to discuss and sort out the problem. The Indian High Commissioner in Colombo told me that the Union Minister was to embark upon the visit on the request of the Indian Prime Minister but it was postponed because of crucial Cabinet meetings. I believe he will make this trip very soon.

Q: Our External Affairs Ministry had to negotiate for many months to secure the release of Sri Lankan fishermen who were apprehended by the administration of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India’s Union Territory, for having strayed into their territorial waters. when discussions on the Common Fishing Zone takes place, will this issue be taken up with proposals for a common zone beyond the Palk Strait and the Mannar Gulf?

A: This is a matter that we frequently took up with the Indian High Commission in Colombo. I have told the High Commissioner that there has been discrimination against our fishermen. When Indian fishermen are arrested for straying into our fishing zones we treat them humanely and release them in a few days.

But it is not so in the case of our fishermen getting arrested by the Indian authorities.

The other crucial problem is that they come in their thousands and use untraditional fishing methods that have been banned in Sri Lanka, including bottom trawling, while also threatening our fishermen in an effort to prevent them from going to the sea. We can never agree to trawling by the Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan fishing waters.

Q: During Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s visit to New Delhi in October 2008 a Joint Statement by the two Governments was issued saying that talks on a proposed MoU on development and cooperation in the field of fisheries will continue. Are these talks being held?

A: That was on bilateral relations and not exclusively on fisheries.

There is only one clause in it about fisheries and that too is very vague. Whatever agreement we may reach with India on the fisheries sector should be extensive, conclusive and justifiable by both sides.

Q: There have been allegations from representatives of fishermen that permits have been issued for bottom trawling to certain individuals in Kalpitiya and Usvetakeiyava in spite of the existing ban on that. Your comments on that?

A: That is not true. We have not issued anyone any permits for bottom trawling. In fact they staged a protest against the purported issue of permits for trawling. Our Assistant Directors who are responsible for issuing the permits have not issued any such permits. With their political background they are trying to use the name of the President and Minister Basil Rajapaksa to exert pressure on the authorities to get a few trawlers into the sea without permission. But this will not be allowed in the larger interests of the fisher communities.

Q: Also there have been allegations that mono-filament fishing which is said to be a destructive fishing method is being practised in some areas?

A: Even the import of mono-filament has been banned totally. If anyone can bring to our notice any such specific instances in any areas we will take very stern action and we will also consider cancelling the registration of the vessels.

Q: In August 2010 a delegation of Sri Lanka’s Northern fishermen visited India and held discussions with their South Indian counterparts on resolving the cross-border problem. The two sides reached an agreement on allowing Indian fishermen enter our waters on certain conditions with restrictions on the number of days. That was submitted to your Ministry for ratification. Can you tell as to why that was not considered for ratification?

A: That delegation was led by a NGO leader who has nothing to do with fisheries. In his typical NGO attitude he got the fishermen’s representatives to consent to the Indian fishermen’s request which are detrimental to their own interests. Later on when the two sides were summoned for a meeting at my Ministry, the Sri Lankan fishermen strongly denied having consented to any of those proposals and it became clear that they were hoodwinked by the NGO man.

They said that they will never allow fishing rights in their traditional fishing waters to the Indian fishermen. The NGO had got them to consent to the request of the Indian fishermen who were allowed under that agreement to fish in our territorial waters on 70 days. I told them very clearly that the NGO has no right to decide on this and it is a matter for the Government to decide.

Q: What is the progress of the fish canning factory set up in Galle?

A: The Ministry has signed an agreement with the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation (CFC) and productions of canned fish will start in three months. This joint venture with the CFC will produce 10,000 cans a day. The CFC will supply fish and will market the product under its logo. The CFC will be paid Rs. 10 per can. The profits will be shared on a 50-50 basis.

Q: What percentage of the canned fish import will it meet?

A: In addition to the canned fish factory in Galle, we are also starting other ones. The second one will be set up in Matale in about three weeks. A third one will be started by an exporter in Peliyagoda. Within three months there will be a production of 35,000 cans per day. Still that is only 1/3rd of the total requirement.

Q: Can you explain the assistance extended by the Fisheries Ministry for developing the fisheries industry in the Northern province where democracy and civil administration have been restored?

A: A few weeks back, I met representatives of fishermen’s organisations in Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. This weekend I will be meeting the representatives of the Mannar fishermen’s organisations. We have already set up our district offices and we have also appointed the Fisheries Inspectors and Assistant Directors. We have provided cash and the necessary facilities for obtaining loans.

My Ministry has also distributed nets and boats among the Northern fishermen. We have given bicycles and fish boxes to fishmongers. Ice boxes have been distributed among them for them to preserve the fish during the harvest. For the fresh water fish breeders we have distributed fish fingerlings so that they can breed and have good income. We have distributed about 800 boats and a huge number of nets. In the seas of Jaffna and Mannar there are over 6,000 vessels at present.

About 8,000 fishermen have joined the fisheries organisations. In Kilinochchi over 2000 joined recently. They are joining the fisheries organisations because they are very contented. But we have to do more. I have started building all the harbours in Jaffna.

We have handed over work on the Gurunagar and Pesalai harbours to the Danish company that built the Oluvil harbour. The construction of the Point Pedro harbour has been taken over by the Japanese Government under a special grant. Mayiliddy harbour is being built by the Korean Government. Other harbours in Jaffna will be built by Norway. Anchorages and landing centres are being upgraded to the standard of other developed countries.

All harbours will have the same facilities as harbours in any developed country with cool rooms, ice plants, fuel and water facilities, offices, net mending halls, auction halls, rest rooms and engine rooms. In every harbour the water basin will have a depth of five meters.

The CFC has arranged with fisheries organisations to purchase their fish harvests at the prevailing market price in order to save them from being exploited by middlemen and the private sector mudalalis . Six freezer trucks are to be deployed for transporting fish from Jaffna and Mannar.

Q: According to a recent report in a Tamil-language daily the Mullaitivu fishermen have complained that the deeds which they possessed bestowing them the right for beach seine fishing (ma del) have been transferred to fishermen from the South and the number of such documents has been increased out of proportion to 150 from 40. Your comments on it?

A: These Tamil fishermen from Mullaitivu came and met me in my ministry and I have sorted out the problem. I retrieved the deeds from the Southern fishermen and gave them back to the traditional fishermen of the area who originally possessed them. All others have been removed from the scene. I have never allowed any fishermen from the South to go either to the North or East to deprive the fishermen of those areas of their livelihood.

If anyone proves to me that he has been living in those areas and doing this business before being chased away by the LTTE terrorists I will make sure that he goes back to his original place to re-start the business.

Q: What is the current state of the fisheries harbour project at Dikkowita that was embarked upon by your Ministry and which is expected to be one of the largest in the Asian region?

A: The Dikkowita harbour will be opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the end of next month or early October. When I took over the Ministry there were many shortcomings with regard to the project and the contract on it. I got them all sorted out and introduced several new features that were not in the original plan. That was done for the same amount without having to pay more.

The harbour is being completed with many better facilities. There were no cooling facilities, ice plants and fuel tanks under the original contract. All these have been rectified. I have got the basin depth increased to five meters from the original 3-1/2 meters. In the vessel approaching canal a vessel had to sail 6-1/2 km and turn back. All that has now been corrected. There are more piers and more breakwaters.

Q: The fish yield in many other countries in the region is very much more per sq. meter compared to ours. Is anything being done to catch up with them?

A: We have set up targets. In 2013 we are going to increase the per capita consumption per day to 60 grams from the present 31 grams. Our target is to increase the fish production to 685,000 tonnes. In 2010 we achieved 94 percent of our target.

This year too we will be able to achieve the target. We are building more harbours and we are extending so much facilities to the fisher communities, including insurance, soft loans and the infrastructure. We have made fishing a tax-free industry. We have done away with charges for the permits and all permits are now free.

Q: Is anything being done to boost the prawn farming industry?

A: We are starting prawn farming again in Batticaloa and Trincomalee. Prawn farming is a very sensitive venture and all precautions have to be taken to prevent diseases being spread. Certain people started it haphazardly and the industry has now knelt down on its knee. The production has dropped by 50 percent.

Those embarking upon this venture should protect their farms according to international specifications. We have already identified 5000 acres in Batticaloa and Trincomalee for prawn farmers from among local investors. We will be providing the technical know-how, lands and other facilities, including bank loans.