Friday, November 30, 2012 - 5.35 GMT

Northern fishermen protest against poaching

Fishermen in North yesterday staged a protest in front of the Consulate General of India, in Jaffna demanding the Indian government to stop Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lanka's territorial waters. The protest was organized by the organizations of Jaffna district fishermen. Indian mission allowed five representatives of the fishermen to enter the premises to hand over a petition while Sri Lankan military and police personnel were deployed in the premises amidst chaos. Later on protesters marched up to the office of Jaffna District Secretary and handed over their petition to the official as well. The fishermen accuse that the organized South Indian fishing trawlers invade Sri Lankan waters for poaching causing conflict with the Sri Lankan fishermen and Sri Lanka Navy. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's High Commissioner in India Prasad Kariyawasam in October this year said during the fishing season, a large number of boats from Tamil Nadu cross the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fish in Sri Lankan waters. "The Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen of the Northern Province, who are just resuming their livelihood of fishing after the conclusion of the conflict, are very concerned as their waters are being overfished and poached by Tamil Nadu fishermen. Our fishermen, therefore, urge the Sri Lankan Navy and the political parties concerned to protect them," he said.