With the new regime in Tamil Nadu taking charge, activists, experts and the Northern Province’s fishing community advocate that the State and Central governments in India encourage deep sea fishing. Noor Mohamed Alam, Mannar District Fishermen’s Cooperative Society Union president, while reiterating the position against the use of mechanised trawlers, says this has become imperative as Northern Province’s fishermen have been complaining that use of wire netting trawlers destroy their fishery resources, including baby fish and even fish eggs.
Ahilan Kadirgamar, a Jaffna-based political economist and who works with the fishermen community, feels that the Union government in India should immediately announce its financial support to Tamil Nadu government’s proposal for deep sea fishing. Also, when the new government takes steps towards this direction, the Opposition in the State should not play the role of spoiler.
G. Parthasarathy, a former Indian diplomat and long-standing observer of Sri Lanka, points out that Jaffna fishermen are of the view that they have no problems if fishing boats like theirs from Tamil Nadu come into their waters, as it does not deplete fishery resources. But, fishery resources on both sides of the Palk Straits are rapidly depleting.
Wisdom demands that fishermen on both sides meet and agree on how best to work cooperatively, without affecting each other’s livelihood. He adds that “it is necessary that the governments of both India and Sri Lanka work closely with their respective State/Provincial governments and fishermen from both sides, and arrange for international funding not only for deep sea fishing trawlers across the Bay of Bengal, but also develop indigenous fishery industries for both domestic consumption and exports.”
Voluntary repatriation
As for voluntary repatriation of refugees living in Tamil Nadu, S.C. Chandrahasan, founder, OfFER says the Central and Tamil Nadu governments should ensure operation of ferry services between Tamil Nadu and Northern Province so that refugees willing to go back will be able to take all their belongings.
Northern Province’s fishermen complain use of wire netting trawlers destroy marine resources
