Outlook for fishermen talks appears positive

 While the use of high-powered trawlers by Tamil Nadu fishermen is a key issue in the second round of talks between the representatives of fishermen from India and Sri Lanka scheduled in Colombo for Monday, the outlook is positive as fishermen have realised the importance of sustainable fishing methods.

“I am certain that we will achieve an amicable settlement this time, as the talks in Colombo are just a continuation of what we have broadly agreed at the meeting in Chennai on January 27,” said M. Ilango, chairperson, National Fishworkers’ Forum, who is the Indian government’s nominee to the meeting.

The Indian team, comprising 26 persons, including Suchitra Durai, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of External Affairs, and S. Vijayakumar, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department, and S. Munianathan, Director of the Department, left for Colombo on Sunday.

Permanent solution

In Sri Lanka, a group of fishermen leaders from Northern Province were in Colombo on Sunday to meet Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne, ahead of the talks.

“We want to update the Minister on the situation of fishermen in the North and [underscore] the need for us to arrive at a permanent solution,” one of the leaders told  The Hindu.

Even at the Chennai meeting, the use of trawlers remained a contentious issue, and the Sri Lankan fishermen’s representatives and officials had urged the Indian delegation to prevail upon the fishermen to keep away from Sri Lankan waters.

In the beginning, Mr. Elango admitted, there was a communication gap in the implementation of the decision. “Anyway, the fishermen in Sri Lankan have understood that it is a livelihood issue. So the prospects for the talks are positive.”

The Palk Bay conflict mounted tremendous pressure on the relations between India and Sri Lanka last year, with 600 Indian fishermen, mainly from Tamil Nadu, arrested on charges of poaching. The problem persisted in 2014 too, even as the 45-day ban period observed by Tamil Nadu fishermen, which came into force on April 15, brought some respite.  Later, Ms. Durai on Sunday night met Mr. Senaratne and discussed the way forward to resolve the issues.