The consensus reached at the recent negotiation between the fishermen of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu to find a solution to problems over trans-border fishing has been widely acknowledged by the fishermen of Rameswaram.
As per the agreement, which needs to be ratified by the governments of India and Sri Lanka, the Rameswaram fishermen can engage in fishing till three nautical miles from Talaimannar-Mannar in Palk Bay.
The fishermen of Pudukottai, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam will be allowed to fish in three nautical mile [9 km] from the India- Sri Lanka maritime boundary line in Palk Straits. The fishermen of Tuticorin, Mandapam, Pamban and Kanyakumari can venture up to 5 nautical miles from the International Maritime Boundary Line in the Gulf of Mannar.
They will be allowed to fish on all Wednesdays and Saturdays except during the moratorium on fishing. As against the 70 trips per year demanded by the Tamil Nadu fishermen, they can carry out 68 trips. The duration of actual fishing hour is 12 hours between 4 pm to 4 am.
Double trawler nets should not be used at all. The practice of fishing by trawl net will not be allowed after a year from the date of enforcement of agreement.
