A Sri Lankan magistrate court on Thursday extended the remand of the eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu – who were apprehended off Mannar – until July 25. On June 15, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended the fishermen on charges of engaging in illegal fishing activity.
After a 45-day ban on fishing observed by fisher folk in Tamil Nadu -- that ended in June – the problem has resurfaced. Fisher folk from both sides have sought governmental intervention and dialogue to address it. When Sri Lanka’s Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa was in New Delhi recently, some representatives from fishermen’s association met him and voiced their concerns. The issue also came up for discussion during National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon’s visit to Colombo this week.
