Negombo (AsiaNews) - Eleven points in common, contained in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two major fishery organizations of Sri Lanka and India have resolved disputes over maritime boundaries and the issues related to income from fishing. The points, drawn up on August 22 in Chennai, were presented last August 31 by Herman Kumara, Secretary General of the World Forum of Fishermen. Now the director general of the Sri Lankan fisheries, S. W. Pathirana, will present the proposals to the Colombo government.
Non-governmental organizations operating in two countries also attended the meeting in Chennai: in addition to economic problems, in fact, the deep sea fishing is often a perilous exercise, especially for small-scale fishermen, who risk harassment and violence by more impressive government fleets. In fact the event was organized by the National Movement of Solidarity with the fishermen and the Alliance for the release of innocent fishermen.
The issue of massive Indian vessels, which often operating in a de-regulated way, is also to be considered. As Kumara explained, "they have been coming to Sri Lanka since 1974. They are dangerous because they destroy the seabed, coral reefs and much of the ecosystem in their search for crabs. Furthermore, small local vessels can not compete, and they see their livelihoods carried away”.
Very often, these situations result in direct disputes between the fishermen at sea, which sometimes have tragic results. Organizations involved in the dialogue have made efforts to meet delegations of fishermen from different countries to find solutions and agreements. Unable to ban the entry of Indian vessels, Kumara concludes, "we have proposed alternative solutions that respect our work and our sea."