Sri Lanka has decided to send a delegation of fishermen to India to discuss the issue of illegal fishing by the Indian fishermen fishing in island’s waters by the destructive bottom trawling practice. The fishermen delegation comprising both Northern and Southern fishermen will visit India ahead of the upcoming visit by the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera to New Delhi later this month to arrive at a permanent solution to the vexing fishermen’s issue. Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development recently held a meeting to discuss the matters related to the issue of illegal bottom trawling by Indian fishers on Sri Lankan waters. Minister Amaraweera presided the meeting while Members of Parliament M.A Sumanthiran and Nihal Galappaththi, Secretary to the Ministry, Provincial Fisheries Ministers of North and South, and the representatives from Sri Lanka Navy and the fisheries industry were present at the meeting. During the discussions, the Minister has suggested sending a delegation of Sri Lankan fishers from the North and South to India prior to his visit in order to enlighten the Indian Government on the massive calamity caused by Indian bottom trawling on Sri Lankan sea line. All the parties have welcomed the suggestion and accordingly, decided to send a selected group of fishers to India. Minister Amaraweera further explained the necessity of arriving at a solution to this issue ensuring the mutual relations between the two countries and preventing every possible injustice to the Sri Lankan fishers. MP Sumanthiran also mentioned that many fisher families in the North have been severely affected and expressed his willingness to support the government in the attempt of finding a solution to this serious issue.
2000, 2016 by LankaPage.com (LLC)