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Lanka to tell India: Catch fish in our waters, but use our ports to export it
View(s):TRINCOMALEE – Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen would be able to fish in waters belonging to the two countries if a new idea mooted by the Government makes headway at the next round of talks between the two sides next month in Colombo. On the sidelines of the opening of a new aqua culture project in Trincomalee yesterday, Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne told the Sunday Times said they would seek to engage in a joint collaboration between the Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen.
He said both countries should allow each other’s fishermen to fish in their waters, provided they agreed to export their fish from the ports of the country in whose waters they caught their fish. He said this would allow Indian fishermen to catch fish in Sri Lankan waters and vice versa, thereby contributing to the revenue of each country and the fishermen also would get their money’s worth. This scheme was practised in several countries, the minister said.
Minister Senaratne said Indian officials, representatives of fisheries organisations from Tamil Nadu, and other southern Indian states were expected to participate in next month’s talks. He said the Sri Lanka’s proposal would be presented at the talks, if India insisted on entering Sri Lankan waters. However, the minister noted Sri Lanka would not allow Indian fishermen to poach or use any banned methods of fishing in Sri Lankan waters.
Dr. Senaratne said he did not accept Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jeyaram Jayalalithaa’s assertion towards “traditional waters” but insisted that he would only accept the International Maritime Boundary Line between the two countries. This decision to engage in a joint collaboration with the Indian side was yet to be discussed with the local fishermen’s organisations, the minister said adding that they would be briefed on the matter before going in for talks.
Sri Lanka’s fish production has increased since the opening up of the North. Sri Lanka’s total catch in 2009 was 339,000 tons while last year’s catch was 515, 000 tons. Prior to the insurrection, the North contributed 43 per cent to fish production but this had come down to 7 per cent in 2009 and risen to 18 per cent by last year. The East contributes about 23 per cent.