A 25-member team, comprising representatives of the fishing community and office-bearers of service organisations working for their welfare in Sri Lanka and India, arrived here on Monday for a four-day tour of coastal districts in the State.
The team will interact with fishermen with the objective of evolving a permanent solution to the problems of fishermen in both countries.
V. Vivekanandan, Convenor, Alliance for Release of Innocent Fishermen, a Trivandrum-based non-governmental organisation, said conflicts over fishing rights often surfaced in the Palk Bay.
The delegates intend to have discussions at Rameswaram on Tuesday; Jegadapattinam in Pudukottai district on Wednesday; Nagapattinam on Thursday and in Chennai on Friday.
Mr. Vivekanandan hoped to meet a few top officials in Chennai.
“The objective is to protect the livelihood of the fishing community in both Sri Lanka and India through mutual trust.”
The visiting team includes representatives of the National Fisheries Solidarity, Sri Lanka, and a top official, Lal De Silva.
Innocent fishermen should not be arrested on any account, said S. P. Anthonymuthu, consultant – Communication / Media, Caritas Sri Lanka – Socio Economic Development Education Centre, Colombo, which plans to convene a seminar in Sri Lanka in October on the issue with the participation of representatives of the Indian fishing community.
