A group representing the Sri Lankan Fishermen Association of Northern Province along with NGOs and two officials from the Fisheries Department of Sri Lanka is participating in a three-day meeting with the representatives of the South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies.
Both sides are seeking to discuss issues of trans-border fishing and attack on fishermen and suggest practical solutions that could lead to peaceful fishing in the disputed area.
The South Indian group represents fishermen from Ramanathapuram, Tuticorin, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts.
The Sri Lankan fishermen are to make a plea to the Tamil Nadu fishermen not to use the harsh fishing gear in the common Palk Bay area.
Briefing the Indian media K. Suriyakumaran, president of the Sri Lankan Fishermen Association from Northern Province said that the fishing gear used by the Tamil Nadu fishermen in the Palk Bay area deplete the resources and affect the livelihood of fishermen in Sri Lanka's Northern Province.
When asked about the alleged firings on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, the representative said whenever they learn of such incidents, the Association registered their protest and told the Sri Lankan Navy authorities not to interfere.
V. Vivekanandan, the advisor to South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies said six years ago a group of Tamil Nadu fishermen visited Sri Lanka and reached an agreement but the measures agreed in that meeting could not be implemented due to the 2004 tsunami and the armed conflict followed.
He said the three-day event would be a serious exercise in understanding each others issues and to propose measures of co-operation that could ease the tensions associated with trans-border fishing.
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