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Fishing dispute high on agenda at Sirisena-Modi talks tomorrow
Establishing a joint-mechanism between Sri Lanka and India to prevent poaching by fishermen will be high on the agenda when President Maithripala Sirisena meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his first official visit overseas after the Presidential elections. President Sirisena is likely to propose stepping up of patrolling in the sea to prevent fishermen crossing over to either side of the waters.
As a prelude to the visit, President Sirisena met Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran on Thursday to discuss the issue of poaching by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan territorial waters. “During the meeting I explained to the President the issue of use of illegal fishing methods (bottom trawling) and the damage caused to marine life. The President said he would take up the issue during his talks,” Mr. Wigneswaran told the Sunday Times.
“The trawlers can engage in deep sea fishing in the Bay of Bengal or Arabian sea but not in the Palk strait. The traditional fishing methods used by locals can be allowed in our sea. Our sea resources are being destroyed by illegal fishing methods of the Indian fishermen. We cannot accept the licences given to Indian fishermen to carry out illicit fishing in our waters,” he said.
Senior Cabinet Minister, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, who was the Minister of Fisheries in the former government, said yesterday that the issue relating to fishermen would be high on the agenda for the talks. New Fisheries Minister Joseph Michael Perera, Minister of State for Defence Ruwan Wijewardene, Navy Commander Jayantha Perera and Fisheries Ministry Secretary Nimal Hettiarachchi were among those present at Mr. Wigneswaran’s meeting with the President.
Ahead of President Sirisena’s visit, the Attorney General’s Department ordered the release of 87 Indian trawlers detained for poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters. A three-member team from the Tamil Nadu government is in Sri Lanka to process the legal documents for the release. More than 150 Indian fishermen are due in Sri Lanka to take away the boats with the cost being borne by the Tamil Nadu government.
However, some of the boats are partially damaged and need repairs. In a related development, the Indian government has invited Sri Lanka for a third round of talks on fisheries issues between the two countries. The talks are scheduled to be held in Chennai on March 5.
Meanwhile as President Sirisena meets Prime Minister Modi tomorrow morning the fisheries federations of Mannar district will take to the streets in protest against the poaching by Indian fishermen and the Sri Lanka Navy’s failure to arrest them.