Tamil Nadu CM expresses concern over Sri Lanka’s new fisheries bill banning bottom trawling

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K. Palaniswami has written to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing “deep concern” about the new Fisheries Bill passed by the Sri Lankan Parliament yesterday prohibiting illegal fishing methods including bottom trawling.

In his letter to Prime Minister Modi, the Chief Minister said the passage of the “ill-advised” Bill at a time when the Ministers of India and Sri Lanka as well as the Joint Working Group on Fisheries have only recently met to resolve the Indo-Sri Lankan Fishermen issues is shocking.

The Sri Lanka Parliament on Thursday unanimously passed the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Amendment) Bill banning the destructive fishing practice of bottom trawling in the island waters, and imposed heavy fines on violators.

The Bill will affect thousands of Sri Lankans and Indians fishing in the sea between Sri Lanka and India, and will particularly hit Tamil Nadu and Puducherry fishermen as these are the biggest offenders as far as bottom trawling in Lankan waters is concerned.

He said the unilateral move by the Government of Sri Lanka will definitely hamper the joint initiatives taken by the Indian Government as well as the Sri Lankan Government.

“The legislation proposed is, in fact, a severe setback to the diplomatic efforts being taken to resolve the issue amicably,” Palaniswami wrote.

“The move by Sri Lankan Government to introduce the Bill at this crucial juncture of transition towards a permanent solution is nothing but a harsh step to undermine the diplomatic efforts being undertaken by the Government of India to sort out the sensitive issue,” he said.

Pointing out that there are 50 Tamil Nadu fishermen and 143 fishing boats belonging to Tamil Nadu fishermen in Sri Lankan custody since 2015, the Chief Minister said the move by the Government of Sri Lanka has caused great disquiet and anguish to the fishing community in Tamil Nadu.

The Chief Minister urged Prime Minister Modi to direct the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Mission in Sri Lanka to “immediately, appropriately and effectively” respond to the latest move by the Sri Lankan side both by registering India’s strong protest against the move and ensuring that necessary provisions are made in the new legislation to exempt the traditional waters of Palk Bay from its purview.

The Tamil Nadu Government, which does not recognise the International Maritime Boundary Line, considers Sri Lankan waters in the Palk Bay as their fishermen’s traditional fishing grounds and insists on fishing in the area. 

(Colombopage.com)