TNA introduces bill to ban bottom trawling in Lankan waters

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP, M.A.Sumanthiran, has introduced a bill in the  parliament to ban bottom trawling in Lankan waters, irrespective of the nationality of the fishing vessel. If passed, the bill will particularly hit Tamil Nadu and Puducherry fishermen as these are the biggest offenders as far as bottom trawling in Lankan waters is concerned. A Lankan Act banning bottom trawling will also render untenable, any further talks on the fishing issue between India and Lanka and between fishermen’s associations of the two countries. After introducing the bill on April 21, Sumanthiran said that imposing a ban on bottom trawling was one of the measures suggested at a recent meeting with Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena. “Whilst there are proposals to police the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and to introduce a licensing regime, an independent analysis done by Verité Research explains why neither proposal will actually solve the problem, and suggests the introduction of a better alternative, namely, imposing a total ban on mechanized bottom trawling which is the objective of the bill,” Sumanthiran said. The bill prohibits the use, possession, import, transport, purchase and sale of trawl nets for the purpose of carrying trawling operations in Lankan waters. The punishment prescribed is a fine of LKR 50,000 and two years imprisonment. “Over the past few years we have witnessed the extent to which Indian trawlers have continued to enter Lankan waters, and exploit our resources. Foreign fishermen have caused great distress to our fishermen specially those living in the North. In addition to Indian trawlers, there are also Lankan trawlers operating here,” Sumanthiran said. TN and Puducherry fishermen have been pleading that they need three to five years to give up bottom trawling. But North Lankan Tamil fishermen and successive Lankan governments have consistently rejected this demand saying that bottom trawling cannot be allowed under any circumstances as it is extremely destructive. (The New Indian Express)