New SL bill on fishing irks Tamil Nadu
Centre should immediately take up the issue with Lanka to ensure that TN fishermen's livelihood is not destroyed, N. Devadoss said.
Rameswaram: Tamil Nadu fishermen have stoutly opposed a Fisheries amendment bill reportedly tabled in Sri Lankan Parliament in Colombo on Thursday that unbearably hikes fines on foreign fishing vessels “breaching” into Sri Lanka’s territorial sea waters, which could range from Rs 2 crore to Rs 20 crore per mechanised boat.
The ‘Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Amendment) Bill’ if adopted by the Sri Lankan Parliament on Thursday, will particularly hit Tamil Nadu and Puducherry fishermen very badly, as they are frequently at the receiving end of the Sri Lankan Navy. Strongly condemning the new Bill, N. Devadoss, president of the Rameswaram Fishermen’s Association said that the Centre should immediately take up the issue with Lanka to ensure that TN fishermen’s livelihood is not destroyed.