The enduring fisheries dispute in the Palk Bay - which impacts fisher folk of northern Sri Lanka and everyday wage fishermen of Tamil Nadu - can be decisively resolved just if the Indian side stops using the damaging bottomtrawling approach, according to Sri Lankas Minister of Fisheries Ramalingam Chandrasekar.The fisheries dispute has stayed a crucial diplomatic problem between India and Sri Lanka for many years.
It is likely to be talked about throughout President Anura Kumara Dissanayakes set up check out to India next week.People from all ethnic groups and geographical regions, including the north, east, and hill coun-try, elected us [National Peoples Power alliance], giving us a big mandate in the recently held elections.
We have a responsibility to resolve their concerns, said Mr.
Chandrasekar, who represents the northern Jaffna district in par-liament.
The longpersisting issue of bottom trawlers used by Indian anglers, stemming from Tamil Nadu, has actually been the chief concern of our northern fishing neighborhoods, he informed The Hindu on Wednesday at the Ministry of Fisheries.Solving the IndoLanka fisheries dispute belongs to the NPP federal governments thorough plans to enhance Sri Lankas fish production utilizing contemporary innovation and sustainable methods, he stated.
The countrys per capita fish usage, which was 17.2 kg in 2017, has now decreased to 11.07 kg, showing a reduction in peoples protein consumption, according to the NPPs prepoll manifesto.Malnutrition has actually come under sharp focus, especially after the countrys unpleasant economic crash in 2022.
We require to improve seafood production to ensure individuals have access to nutrition.
To do all that, we need our sea and our marine biodiversity to be secured, Mr.
Chandrasekar said.The fisheries conflict in the Palk Bay is mainly over competing incomes amidst a fastdepleting catch.
While a bilaterally concurred, fictional maritime border line demarcates territorial waters of the neighbours, northern Sri Lankan anglers have for long pointed to bottom trawling as the underlying problem.Bottom trawlers are fishing vessels that generally drag big fishing internet along the seabed, scooping out whatever from eggs and child fish to marine vegetation, in addition to the target catch of fish or shrimps.
For numerous decades, Indian anglers from various seaside states, consisting of Tamil Nadu, have actually used the practice that has actually increased Indias seafood exports and yielded high profits.After discussing the issue in a 2016 bilateral meet-ing, India and Sri Lanka established a Joint Working Group that, among other things, consented to accelerate the shift towards ending the practice of bottom trawling at the earliest.However, there has actually been no reprieve, according to Tamil fishermen living along Sri Lankas northern coast, who are among the worst affected in the islands lengthy civil war that ended in 2009.
Fifteen years because, they have actually been unable to restore their livelihoods, primarily due to the fact that of the destructive results of bottomtrawling by Indian fishermen.Sri Lanka banned the practice in 2017 and enforced stiff fines on foreign vessels in 2018.
In spite of the moves, and the ceaseless appeals from their northern Sri Lankan equivalents, Tamil Nadu anglers are yet to quit the destructive prac-tice.
On the other hand, day-to-day wage Tamil Nadu anglers engaged by the trawler owners are often arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of engaging in prohibited fishing in Sri Lankas territorial waters, and the vessels are taken.
The arrests so far in 2024 total over 530, more than double last years figure.
Over 400 of those have been released and repatriated, main updates showed.On Wednesday, Indian High Commissioner San-tosh Jha contacted the Minister at his office and worried for a humanitarian - & constructive approach in resolving the anglers problem.
Asked for early release of anglers in custody, the High Commission published on X.Sri Lanka greatly valued Indias crucial and timely support throughout the economic crisis of 2022, and President Dissanayakes federal government appreciates the value of the nations India ties, the Sri Lankan Minister kept in mind.
India is not just Sri Lankas close neighbour and important development partner, but a nation that shares historical and cultural ties.Our grandparents and fantastic grandparents hailed from India, stated Mr.
Chandrasekhar, who is from Sri Lankas Malaiyaha [hill nation] Tamil neighborhood, brought down by the British 2 centuries back to operate in Sri Lankas plantations.
Many of us still have familial links in Tamil Nadu, he stated, prompting individuals and federal governments of India and Tamil Nadu to see the larger image in the fisheries problem.There is a propensity to see the fisheries conflict as one between Tamil Nadu anglers and the Sri Lankan Navy ...
however they need to understand that bottom trawling has actually significantly affected the incomes of Tamil anglers in northern Sri Lanka, who have suffered substantial losses throughout the war, he said.Source: The Hindu-- Agencies