Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lanka territorial waters have now been increased in a latest resurgence at a time when the Government apparatus is in turmoil, official sources said.
Jaffna District Fisheries Cooperative Society Unions Federation leader said that thousands of Indian fishermen had been invading Sri Lankan waters and causing damage to the property of Sri Lankan fisher folk. The allegations come amidst local fishermen’s struggle to source fuel for fishing.
In recent daring raid the Sri Lanka Navy detained an Indian trawler which was poaching in Sri Lankan waters, and detained 7 Indian fishermen last night.
The Navy said that the trawler was detained south of the Delft Island in Jaffna .as both the Sri Lanka Navy and the Coast Guard remain alert to foil illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers in Sri Lankan waters and regularly conduct patrols and operations to prevent such attempts.
As part of these efforts, the Northern Naval Command mounted a special operation last night (26th October), by deploying a Sri Lanka Coast Guard vessel attached to the Northern Naval Command, to chase away a cluster of Indian trawlers in Sri Lankan waters, off the Delft Island.
“The 45-day annual ban came to an end on 15 June 2022. Since then, there have been thousands of Tamil Nadu (TN) boats entering Lankan waters.
On 24 and 25 June, a large number of trawlers entered into Lankan waters through Point Pedro and took away Rs. 650,000 worth of nets belonging to northern fishermen.
There are thousands of Tamil Nadu trawlers encroaching into SL boundaries and taking away not just the nets, which are valuable assets of the northern fishermen, but also the natural resources.”
In the past, Tamil Nadu trawlers used to come only on alternative days, but now we’re seeing trawlers that stay at sea continuously for six days entering our waters. Despite thousands of Tamil Nadu boats encroaching into our boundaries, the authorities have arrested boats with Tamil Nadu fishermen,” fisheries ministry complained.
The Sri Lankan Government is to step up its efforts to protect its borders, exercise powers, arrest Indian fishermen, and confiscate their vessels.
It is empowered with legal measures through the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Amendment) Act No. 11 of 2017, but why is the State not following it and taking necessary action?
Meanwhile, Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devenanda assured that the Navy was active in its duties. “Almost every day around 5-10 people are taken into custody along with the confiscation of their fishing vessels. It is done by the Navy. The Navy is carrying out its duties.”
Furthermore, he said that discussions with India were taking place. “Negotiations are continuing both at a local level as well as at diplomatic level between the two Governments.
