Fifteen fishermen’s organisations of the Jaffna peninsula on Wednesday organised a march and a rally wanting the Sri Lankan government to detain trawlers from Tamil Nadu which poach in Lankan waters. The fishermen marched through Jaffna city and sat on a dharna in front of the Indian Consulate General.

Their leaders presented a memorandum to the Consul General, A Natarajan.

They demanded that the Indian government ensure that Indian fishermen do not poach in North Lankan waters and deprive local Tamil fishermen of their livelihood, which has been revived after 30 years of disruption due to war.

In addition to the 15 Tamil Nadu fishermen and two boats detained a few days ago, the  Lankan navy on Wednesday arrested six fishermen and two vessels from Nagapattinam for illegally fishing in Lankan waters. They will be produced before the Kayts court. The 15 fishermen and two vessels from Nagapattinam which had been detained earlier, were remanded till October 6 by the court at Point Pedro, Indian Consul General Natarajan told Express.

(The New Indian Express)