14 Indian fishermen head home after being repatriated from Sri Lanka
New Delhi, March 14
Fourteen Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka have been repatriated and are on their way back, the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka said on Friday.
In a post on X, the Indian mission in Colombo said, "14 Indian fishermen were repatriated from Sri Lanka today and are on their way home."
Earlier, Sri Lankan MP Harsha de Silva told ANI that the issue of Indian fishermen in Sri Lanka is a perennial issue and will not go away soon, because both sides depend on fishing for a living.
"This is a perennial issue, you know it's not going away because I think on both sides of the straits, you know, folks are depending on fish for their living. These are not, you know, big corporates these are small fishermen, and when the Indian trawlers come, and you can see the satellite images, you know, they do not come in dozens but rather in hundreds, and they go back, so the issue, I think, is a complicated one. You can't just say this is the line so you stay here, and you know somehow stay on this," he said.
Silva then said that it is more of a legal issue than a political.
"Yes, every foreign minister and deputy foreign minister worked on this. It is about bottom trawling and whether bottom trawling is a traditional fishing method, and you know, does it destroy the seabed? But as I said, I think the solution is economics-related, not legal," he said.
On February 22, 12 fishermen along with one boat from Pamban were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing in the Gulf of Mannar between Dhanushkodi and Thalaimannar. The Sri Lankan Navy seized a boat belonging to a fisherman identified as David from Pamban.
The incident triggered unrest among fishermen in Pamban, with more than a hundred boats from the Pamban South Wadi Fishing Port having ventured into the sea at the time of the apprehension.
The issue of frequent arrests of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities has remained a longstanding concern between the two countries, particularly affecting fishing communities in Tamil Nadu.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The Sri Lankan MP makes a valid point about bottom trawling. We must also look at sustainable fishing practices. It's not just about borders; it's about protecting the marine ecosystem for future generations of fishermen on both sides.
Heartfelt relief for the families in Tamil Nadu. These are poor people trying to feed their children. Hope they are treated well while detained. Jai Hind.
As an outsider, this seems like a classic shared-resource conflict. The economic angle mentioned by Silva is key. Maybe joint fishing zones or quotas, with technology for monitoring, could be a way forward? Complex but not impossible.
Thank you to MEA and our High Commission for bringing them back. But why do our fishermen cross the IMBL? Lack of fish on our side? Overfishing? Authorities need to provide alternative livelihoods or better patrols to guide them.
This is a humanitarian issue first. These men are not criminals. While rules are rules, the treatment should be humane. Good to see them coming home. Hope the boat is returned too – that's their only asset.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.