Seven Indian fishermen from Rameswaram detained by Sri Lankan Navy near Katchatheevu

Seven fishermen from Rameswaram and Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram district were arrested on the charge of poaching in international waters by the Sri Lankan Navy in the early hours of Sunday.

Officials of the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department said Sri Lankan Navy personnel apprehended the fishermen fishing between Katchatheevu Islet and Mannar North around 1 a.m. They were taken, along with the trawler, to a Sri Lankan naval port.

The officials issued 398 tokens on Saturday and the fishermen were scheduled to return to the shores on Sunday evening. The officials gave the names of the seven fishermen as Placius, 41; Alagu Pandi, 22; Antony Pitchai, 33; Rabin, 21; Nelson, 58; Arulananda Xavier, 65; and Sahaya Anand, 34.

Fishermen leaders have condemned the arrest and urged the Central and State governments to secure their release at the earliest.

Emergency meeting

The fishermen associations in the district convened an emergency meeting at Thangachimadam. Fishermen leader Jesu Raja presided over it. The members demanded that the Union government intervene immediately and secure the release of the seven fishermen.

A resolution adopted at the meeting condemned the Karaikal and Nagapattinam fishermen who had allegedly been trespassing into the traditional domain of the fishermen on the Palk Strait. Using higher horse-power engines and mega-sized trawlers meant for deep sea fishing, the Karaikal and Nagapattinam fishermen travelled over 100 nautical miles and reached Katchatheevu Islet. While fishing, these fishermen also damaged the fishing nets kept for drying by the fishers of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province.

Between October 26 and 30, when tokens were not issued to the Ramanathapuram fishermen because of the bad weather, the Karaikal and Nagapattinam fishers ventured into the territory and spoilt the eco-system for their gains. Irked by this, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested the Ramanathapuram fishermen on Sunday, a resolution said.

It urged the State government and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to intervene at once and stop the Karaikal and Nagapattinam fishermen from venturing into the territory of the Ramanathapuram fishermen.

The Ramanathapuram fishermen also urged the State to immediately convene a high-level meeting and ensure that the Karaikal and Nagapattinam fishermen stopped trespassing into their territory; otherwise, it might lead to a law and order problem mid-sea.

The fishermen said they would wait until after November 8 (Deepavali). The fishermen associations would meet again thereafter to discuss the future course of action.