Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda had proposed joint patrolling by the Sri Lanka Navy and the Indian Coast Guard to prevent the clashes between fishermen of the two countries.

Minister Devananda who arranged a meeting between the representatives of fishermen’s associations in the two countries in the Kachchativu Island recently, told yesterday to Daily Mirror that such joint patrolling would be the only effective mechanism to prevent the encroachment of international maritime boarder. At that meeting Sri Lankan fishermen stressed that Indian fishermen should stop banned methods of fishing such as the use of monofilament nets and pair trawling in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters. They noted that such methods had damaged maritime resources, and affected regeneration of fish.

Minister Devananda said that Sri Lankan fishermen would be ready to negotiate for a mutual agreement for fishing in the territorial waters of both the countries only if Indian fishermen stopped such activities.

Meanwhile, TNA MP Selvam Adaikkalanathan also raised concerns about illegal fishing activities in the sea off the North.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka