Local fisher leaders pour out grievances on Indian HC

A group of Northern fishermen representatives met Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay on Monday evening to brief him about the difficulties they faced due to the Indian bottom trawlers in the Northern sea.

The fishermen pointed out that their livelihood was under threat due to Indian fishermen’s entry into Sri Lankan waters for illegal bottom trawling activities which have damaged fishing nets and other equipment belonging to local fishermen.

The meeting went on for nearly two hours with the High Commissioner patiently listening to their grievances. Local fishermen made it clear that Indian fishermen should stop their trespass into Lankan waters. With the Fisheries Ministry failing to provide any compensation for the damages caused to their fishing gear, the local fisher leaders requested that India should consider compensating them for the damages caused.

The meeting came after a series of protests staged by local fishermen groups in the North against Indian fishermen’s bottom trawling, a method that is banned in the country and worldwide as it was an impediment to sustainable fishing.

The High Commissioner assured to convey their concerns to New Delhi and the Tamil Nadu State government while stressing that India, too, has taken steps to introduce alternative fishing methods such as multiday fishing to discourage Tamil Nadu fishers crossing into territorial waters of other countries. Last week, the matter was raised at a meeting between the Indian High Commissioner and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R. Sampanthan. TNA spokesperson M.A. Sumanthiran also took part in the meeting and a followup meeting with Northern fisher leaders in Colombo. After the meeting concluded in the evening, the Jaffna MP hosted an early dinner for the Northern fishermen representatives at his residence in Wellawatte before they set out on their return journey back home.