The Indian High Commissioner in Colombo on Monday assured Sri Lanka’s northern fishermen that he would convey their concerns over bottom trawling by Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait to both New Delhi and Tamil Nadu and look at some immediate measures to address the problem.
A delegation of fishermen leaders from Sri Lanka’s northern districts, along with Jaffna legislator M.A. Sumanthiran, met Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay in Colombo on Monday, and voiced concern over the “delay in India’s response” to the issue of bottom trawling in the Palk Strait, The Hindu reported.
The meeting was consequent to a recent discussion, held when High Commissioner Baglay called on Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R. Sampanthan last week, according to TNA spokesman Mr. Sumanthiran, who was also at the meeting. “The fisher community leaders recalled that the Indian side had agreed twice — in 2010 and 2016 — to phase out and end the practice of bottom trawling. But it has not ended yet,” the Jaffna MP told The Hindu, after Monday’s meeting.
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