News
No more talks with India at fishermen-level
View(s):- Minister says only official-level engagement will continue
By S. Rubatheesan
The Fisheries Ministry has decided to scrap future Indo-Lanka talks at the fishermen level on the ongoing issue of illegal mechanised bottom trawling by Indian fishermen in Sri Lanka’s Northern waters while sticking only to official-level engagement between the two countries on technical assistance and support.
“There will be no talks between fishermen groups of the two countries anymore. Those were concluded a long time ago. Talks at official levels are currently underway between respective institutions on technical assistance and support,” Fisheries, Aquatic, and Ocean Resources Minister R. Chandrasekar told reporters on Friday in Jaffna.
The minister’s response came following President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent New Delhi visit, during which the illegal bottom trawling of Indian fishermen entering Sri Lankan waters was taken up.
The joint statement released after the top-level talks between the two leaders noted that “the leaders agreed on the need to continue to address these in a humanitarian manner. They underscored the need to take measures to avoid any aggressive behaviour or violence.” During his visit, President Dissanayake also stressed the “irreparable ecological damage caused by bottom trawling, a banned practice in both countries” and urged Indian authorities to take measures to stop the practice and curb illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
In 2017, the bottom trawling practice was designated as a banned fishing practice, punishable under the law through an amendment introduced to the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act.
The sixth Joint Working Group meeting between the two countries took place on October 29. It stressed that the “highest priority should be accorded to addressing the various issues faced by fishermen in a humanitarian manner as they pertain to livelihood concerns on both sides.
Northern fishermen also repeatedly stressed that several previous fishermen-level talks ended inconclusively as Indian fishermen failed to stop engaging in bottom trawling practices as agreed in 2014, followed by a two-year grace period to switch to alternative fishing methods.
“Other than this [official-level talks], we will not be seeking any humanitarian basis assistance, either giving or securing it from them [India]. This would be our humanitarian basis,” Minister Chandrasekar said.
(Please see related story on Page 6.)
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