In one of the biggest arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy in recent months, 54 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested and five of their fishing vessels, “poaching close to Sri Lanka”, were seized, the Sri Lankan Navy said on Thursday.
Around 20 fishermen from Thangachimadam near Rameswaram, 20 from Nagapattinam and another 14 from Karaikal were arrested in the early hours of Thursday.
Three separate patrol units apprehended the fishermen on charges of engaging in illegal fishing, including using the “bottom-trawling” method, off Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, at three different points on the coastline off Mannar, Jaffna and Mullaitivu, the Navy said. The fishermen were handed over to the authorities for “further legal action”.
Two mechanised boats carrying about 20 fishermen from Thangachimadam were reportedly held by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel near Neduntheevu island.
According to Fisheries Department and Central agencies, preliminary inquiries revealed that nine fishermen from Thangachimadam had gone on a boat owned by Mariasingam of Valasai Street and another 11 persons had ventured into the sea in the boat owned by Subramani of Rajiv Gandhi Nagar. Over 500 boats had ventured into the sea on Wednesday from Rameswaram jetty.
Fishermen leader Sesu Raja said they were shocked to hear that 54 Tamil fishermen had been held for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line. At a time, when the pandemic had shattered their livelihoods, the detention by the Navy personnel under charges of violating the territorial waters had come as a big blow, he said.
Official sources said fishermen from Nagapattinam and Karaikal regions, who were fishing near Katchatheevu, were also held under similar charges.
Citing quarantine of the fishermen in view of COVID-19, it is learnt that the Sri Lankan authorities have detained them in three different islands. After the quarantine period, they would be produced before the courts and sent to the prisons.
The fishermen leaders in the coastal districts have appealed to the Central and State governments to intervene and take steps to bring them back safely.
In a statement, the Sri Lankan Navy said the “illegal entry” of foreign fishermen into Sri Lankan waters and the use of prohibited fishing methods “seriously threatened” the island’s marine ecosystem and endangered the livelihoods of fishermen living in the north.
The series of arrests made late on Wednesday comes after the Navy resumed patrolling in December, after months of limiting arrests amid fears of contracting COVID-19 from Indian fishermen. Dozens of Indian fishermen were arrested in December last year.
The Palk Bay fisheries crisis has been festering for over a decade with frequent arrests of Indian fishermen who allegedly trespass into Sri Lanka’s territorial waters. In January, four fishermen from Tamil Nadu who were reported missing were later found dead after their boat, according to the Sri Lankan Navy, “sank” mid-sea. The Indian government said it conveyed the “strongest protest” to the Sri Lankan side and sought an investigation into the circumstances of their death that raised many questions.
Asked if there was any update on the probe, an Indian High Commission official told The Hindu: “We have formally asked the Government of Sri Lanka for an inquiry into the incident relating to the deaths of the four fishermen. We recently reiterated our request in this regard.”
In a statement on Wednesday’s arrests, the Indian High Commission emphasised the need to address issues pertaining to Indian fishermen “in a humanitarian manner”. “Providing immediate consular access and emergency supplies to apprehended fishermen are of prime importance. We are working with Government of Sri Lanka for expeditiously securing consular access for these fishermen,” the statement said.
Amid renewed focus on the Indo-Lanka fisheries conflict in the Palk Bay, the secretary-level Joint Working Group with officials from both sides met virtually on December 30.
