Joint front against Indian fishermen:

Fisheries Ministry in talks with TNA

by Manjula Fernando

The Fisheries Ministry plans to discuss with the TNA and form a joint front to face the aggravating issue of Indian fishermen encroaching the Northern seas.

A spokesperson for the Ministry said the Minister was ready to take this up with the TNA. Soon after the Northern Provincial Council was formed Chief Minister C.V.Vigneswaran expressed his desire to take this issue up but since then nothing has happened.

"It is an issue for the North. The Northern Fisheries Ministry must take an active role in this case where Tamil Nadu fishermen invade the Northern and Eastern waters. The southern fishermen are not affected," the spokesperson said.

Satellite images show the extent to which Indian fishermen have invaded into the northern territorial waters but the issue remains unresolved due to the Tamil Nadu government's lack of commitment.

He said Indian trawlers not only rob the fish harvest but also destroy marine life by engaging in destructive bottom trawling, a prohibited fishing practise in Sri Lanka.

"We would like to exchange our ideas with the TNA and discuss their plan of action to resolve this issue." The Fisheries Ministry has decided that in the future, the arrested Indian fishermen will be released without their boats. Observers say that this may prove to be a detterent to the Indian fishermen.

Currently, 283 Indian fishermen arrested by the Navy and 86 fishing boats remain in Sri Lanka while 181 Lankan fishermen and 39 boats are in Tamil Nadu detention centres.