Indian fishing trawlers invade Northern seas of Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 August 2010, 04:32 GMT]
During the last four days more than a thousand Indian fishing trawlers in an unprecedented manner are operating in the seas from Kaangkeasanthu'rai to Naakarkoayil, a representative of Vadamaraadchi Fishing Societies Federation said Thursday. Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) authorities who had refused permission to the local fishermen for trawler fishing have turned a blind eye to the Indian fishing trawlers trespassing Sri Lankan seas, he said. The Indian fishermen and the Sinhala fishermen from South already permitted by SLN to fish in the Northern seas are depriving the local fishermen, he added.

The local fishermen dare not go fishing in their ordinary fishing boats as their nets nd fishing equipments are damaged by the trawlers.

Wednesday night more than a thousand Indian trawlers could be seen from Vadamaraadchi coast.