New Delhi talks to end poaching hailed

by P. Krishnaswamy

Northern PC Fisheries Minister B. Daniswaran commended the decisions taken at the New Delhi talks to end poaching in the Northern territorial waters and release fishermen in detention in both countries.

He will meet Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, who led the Sri Lankan delegation to the talks, to express his gratitude on behalf of nearly 100,000 fisher families in the province who had suffered for many years due to poaching and exploiting their territorial fishing grounds.

The Northern PC will take follow-up action in collaboration with the Central Government to assist the fishermen and make amends for the losses they had suffered, he said.

On assuming office as PC Minister on October 11, 2013 his first request to the centre was to make a diplomatic approach to end poaching that had remained the worst woe of the Northern fishermen.

Fish resources in their traditional fishing grounds had depleted considerably due to the destructive methods employed in fishing by poachers and the Northern PC would advocate preventing similar methods of fishing in the sea area surrounding Katchativu where the Indian fishermen are permitted to fish, Daniswaran said.

In consultation with Minister Senaratne he would visit Tamil Nadu and meet Chief Minister, Jeyaram Jayalalithaa, Fisheries Minister and fishermen’s representatives to explain the Northern fishermen’s plight and to ensure the successful implementation of the decisions taken at the New Delhi talks, he said.