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Fishermen urge local lawmakers to intervene in poaching issue

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Fishermen of the north are worried by continuing threats to their livelihood as they are kept in the dark about the related decisions taken at the president’s recent visit to India.

Now, they are urging their elected representatives to take up the matter with the Tamil Nadu chief minister for a peaceful resolution.

Fisheries leaders from Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Mannar held talks on 23 December with provincial governor Nagalingam Vedanayagam and representatives of NARA, fisheries department and the land commissioner’s office.

Thereafter, N. Warnakulasingham, a fisheries leader from Vadamarachchi North, spoke to the media and expressed fears that India would continue to poach in their waters.

It seems the president has hinted at talks in New Delhi about a humane approach to the tackle the issue, but nothing has been made public.

The provincial governor promised to take up the matter with the subject minister, he said.

At a joint media briefing with the Sri Lankan president, the Indian premier said the fishermen’s issues should be resolved humanely.

Taking to X, the president said their talks focused on stopping poaching too.

“We also want to find a durable and sustainable solution to the fishermen’s issue that has become a plague for both our countries. There are bottom trawling systems being adopted by the fishermen in that area and that needs to be put an end to because that will spell doom to this industry,” he said.

Speaking to journalists on 20 December, foreign minister Vijitha Herath said both sides agreed to mediate for a swift solution.

Spokesman for the fisheries associations collective Annalingam Annarasa said MPs Sritharan, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Raviharan and Selvam should all write to the Tamil Nadu chief minister and convey their readiness to resolve the matter amicably.

They should intervene and prevent further disruptions to the livelihood for 50,000 families, he said.

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