The last fishing season ended on a sour note, with the Sri Lankan navy arresting more than 100 fishermen on charges of trespass into Lankan waters. As the Rameswaram fishermen gear up for a new season, they are determined to avoid repeat episodes of trespass and arrest. The 61-day ban on fishing, imposed from April 14 to replenish marine resources, ends on Friday midnight and the fishermen in coastal districts are all set to set sail either the same night or the next morning depending on the weather. After an informal meeting in Rameswaram on Thursday, leaders of mechanised boat fishermen associations decided to set out for fishing on Saturday morning. But if the fishermen in other districts venture into the sea on Friday night, we will also follow them, they said. More than 7,000 fishermen will set out for fishing in 1,500 trawlers from Rameswaram, Pamban, Mandapam and other areas in the district. The Rameswaram fishing jetty was abuzz with activity on Thursday with fishermen loading ration items, diesel and other paraphernalia in their trawlers. Deputy Director of Fisheries E. Kathavarayan, who joined recently, said the department would issue fishing permits to boats only after getting clearance from the weather office. He held talks with the leaders and fishers four times in a span of ten days and advised them not to cross the IMBL. This year the emphasis was more on not crossing the IMBL, he said. After a traumatic fishing season during 2017-18, the fishermen have taken a conscious decision not to cross the IMBL and get into trouble, fishermen leader P Sesu Raja said. If at all they cross the IMBL, it will be because of drifting due to adverse weather conditions, he pointed out and urged the Centre to prevail upon the Lankan government not to arrest such fishermen. As they have opted for deep sea fishing and started building tuna long liners, the government should ensure peaceful fishing in Palk Bay at least for a year or until they ended bottom trawling, he added. During 2017-18, the Lankan navy arrested 464 fishermen, including more than 100 from Rameswaram and neighbouring districts, and confiscated 77 trawlers. The Lankan authorities later released all the fishermen but detained the trawlers. More than 160 trawlers were detained in Lankan ports.