Wickremesinghe, while answering an opposition query in the parliament, said that around 1,000 Indian trawlers were illegally fishing in the country’s waters using bottom trawling techniques which is very harmful to the fishing resource. We may return the fishermen but we can’t release their boats.
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“I am constrained to write to you yet again to bring to your notice two more incidents of apprehension of innocent Indian fishermen belonging to the state by the Sri Lankan Navy”. But we must first speak to our people, especially our fisher associations.
The Sri Lankan government on Thursday said it will not release boats seized from Indian fishermen who were arrested for poaching in the island nation’s territorial waters.
With this, the total number of Indian fishermen detained by Sri Lanka after the beginning of new fishing season on May 30 last has risen to 73.
“I have repeatedly emphasised the importance of the government of India undertaking a strong diplomatic offensive to uphold the rights and interests of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu”, she said in her letter to the prime minister.
This was discussed between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and visiting Sri Lankan Minister for Development Strategy and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama, sources said yesterday.
Akram Alavi said the latest arrests follow the arrest of 17 Indian fishermen two days earlier.
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The apprehended fishermen along with fishing trawlers will be produced to Mannar Assistant Directorate of Fisheries for further investigations.
