AMN
Sri Lankan navy today detained seven fishermen along with two trawlers from Tamil Nadu for allegedly fishing in Sri Lankan waters.
A statement by Sri Lankan navy said, the fishermen were taken into custody northwest of Delft island near Neduntheevu in the island nation. They have been handed over to fisheries department in Jaffna for further legal action.
With this latest arrest, the number of Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody has gone up to 22. A total of 136 fishing trawlers are also in Sri Lankan custody. Sri Lankan government has been releasing the fishermen routinely on humanitarian grounds but has the policy of retaining the trawlers.
The fishermen issue has been a constant problem between the two countries. Union Minister of state for Road Transport Highways and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan said, officials from India and Sri Lanka will be holding talks by the end of this month to find solution to the problems being faced by the fishermen.
A delegation level talks at foreign minister level held in November had decided to begin consultations for resolving the issue. Accordingly, the meeting between agriculture minister from India and fisheries minister of Sri Lanka is scheduled to be held in Colombo on 2nd of January.