The Government is planning to send a delegation of officials to Tamil Nadu this month to discuss the longstanding fishing dispute between Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen, Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar said.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, he said a team of Government officials would meet representatives of the Tamil Nadu Government to discuss the continuing difficulties faced by Sri Lankan fishermen due to the alleged intrusion of Indian bottom trawlers into Sri Lankan wateRs
The Minister said he would not personally take part in the discussions at this stage, explaining that the Government would first send officials to engage with their Tamil Nadu counterparts before deciding on further action. “First, we will send a team of Government officials to speak to the Tamil Nadu Government. Then we will decide on the next step,” he said.
Chandrasekar acknowledged that the fishing dispute had continued for decades without a proper solution despite repeated discussions and diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
The Minister has previously maintained that Sri Lankan fishermen had become caught up in local political dynamics surrounding the issue. However, he has also acknowledged that Indian trawlers should not enter Sri Lankan waters and destroy the livelihoods of local fishermen.
His latest comments come amid renewed tensions following the destruction of fishing nets belonging to northern fishermen from 25 October onwards.
Hundreds of Indian fishing trawlers had approached Sri Lankan waters, leading to confrontations with local fishermen. Some Sri Lankan fishermen have reported losses running into hundreds of thousands of rupees, with one fisherman estimating the damage to newly purchased fishing nets at around Rs 1.5 million.
The situation has also escalated following a death threat issued by an unidentified Sri Lankan fisherman against Indian fishing trawleRs The threat prompted Tamil Nadu Police to warn Indian fishermen against entering Sri Lankan waters.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Jaffna District Fisheries Cooperative Societies Union has called for a diplomatic solution, warning that continued inaction could lead to further confrontation between the two fishing communities.