Jaffna fishermen aren’t the only fishing community affected by poaching - official

Poaching a regional problem

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Sri Lankan fishermen, particularly those based in the Jaffna peninsula and the Vanni mainland aren’t the only fishing communities affected due to poaching by Indian fishing fleets.

In spite of repeated requests, India had turned a blind eye to those fishing craft crossing the Indo-Lanka maritime boundary to poach in Sri Lankan waters, authoritative sources told ‘The Island’.

Although the Indian Coast Guard recently proposed a no fishing zone as part of India’s overall strategy to curb poaching on the part of Tamil Nadu fishermen, the proposal was later withdrawn, following protests by TN politicians, sources said.

Last week, Indian External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna discussed the issue with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, though the two countries differ sharply on measures to prevent poaching.

The arrest of 31 Indian fishermen over the weekend by Pakistan highlighted the urgent need to initiate a dialogue among SAARC countries to curb poaching.

During Galle Dialogue 2011, which brought together representatives from nearly 20 countries, including India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka emphasized the need to take tangible measures to stop poaching, sources said.

The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), said that 14 boats had been detained along with 31 fishermen while poaching in its territorial waters in the Arabian Sea.

"Indian fishermen continue to intrude into Pakistan’s marine rich Indus delta region containing high quality fish, at the cost of the livelihood of local fishermen, resulting in the depletion of our fish stock and ecological damage to rare fish species," the PMSA said, in a statement.

The agency handed over the fishermen to police for further investigation, the statement said.

Earlier this month, Pakistan freed 179 Indian fishermen who were imprisoned for violating territorial waters and had completed their sentences while 360 other Indian prisoners, mostly fishermen, remain in jail. (SF)

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