India, Sri Lanka to hold talks on fishermen issue

India and Sri Lanka will quickly hold a bilateral digital assembly to handle the current issues associated to the long-standing Palk Bay fisheries battle, officers mentioned on Monday.

Following a gathering of the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay, with the Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Relations, Dinesh Gunawardena, and the Minister of Fisheries, Douglas Devanada, on Monday, the Indian High Commission mentioned in a press release that Mr. Baglay “expressed hope that the next meeting of the bilateral mechanism, on matters pertaining to fishermen, could soon be arranged online”.

In addition to reviewing ongoing bilateral discussions, together with on “terrorism, radicalisation, organised crime and drug trafficking” — which had been additionally taken up throughout National Security Adviser Ajit Doval’s go to to Colombo final month — the High Commissioner burdened the necessity to proceed to cope with issues associated to fishermen and their boats, in a humanitarian method, the official assertion mentioned.

The growth comes at a time when fishermen in Sri Lanka’s Tamil-majority Northern Province have reported a rise within the variety of Indian fishing trawlers noticed alongside the Sri Lankan coast — a priority that has dominated their post-war restoration interval. Bilateral talks between authorities officers and fishermen leaders have proved futile, as Tamil Nadu fishers’ leaders haven’t agreed to the demand of the northern Sri Lankan fishers’ leaders to cease partaking in bottom-trawling.

However, following their persistent requires an answer and several other agitations, Sri Lanka, in 2017, banned backside trawling, identified to be a damaging fishing technique that nearly scoops out the ocean mattress, severely impacting the marine biodiversity. The following 12 months, Colombo slapped stiffer fines on overseas vessels fishing within the island nation’s territorial waters.

While the measures, particularly the fines, deterred Indian fishermen to some extent, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 450 fishermen in 2017, on costs of poaching, however simply 156 in 2018. The downside resurfaced earlier this 12 months. Northern Sri Lankan fishermen mentioned they observed a rise in Indian trawlers of their waters once more. According to them, the Sri Lankan Navy appeared reluctant to arrest the Indian fishermen, fearing they may very well be carriers of COVID-19. Amid rising issues, Mr. Devananda, who represents Jaffna within the Parliament, has mentioned that he’s prepared to hold talks with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, to arrive at an answer.