India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group discusses the concerns relating to fishermen and fishing boats in detail
New Delhi: Sri Lanka proposed a faster transition to sustainable fishing in the Palk Bay fisheries that India readily accepted and expressed its readiness to work together for joint research to enhance productivity there.
India also highlighted the initiatives taken by the Central and State Governments to diversify livelihood options and reduce fishing pressure in Palk Bay. It also informed that infrastructure has been created to facilitate deep-sea fishing and the promotion of alternative livelihood through seaweed cultivation, mariculture, and several aquaculture activities.
Colombo further sought to develop the aquaculture sector and the associated infrastructure in Northern Sri Lanka, during the fifth meeting of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on Fisheries on March 25, 2022, through virtual mode.
Jatindra Nath Swain, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, who led the Indian delegation in the meeting, also took up the issue of early release of Indian fishermen and boats currently in Sri Lankan custody.
Swain reiterated Indian commitment towards issues related to fishermen and their livelihoods in a humanitarian manner. Both sides also discussed cooperation between Navy and Coast Guard of both countries in patrolling, an existing hotline between the Coast Guards and related operational matters including cooperation in tracking poaching, prevention of environmental damage due to bottom trawling, addressing grievances of fishermen on either side, besides issues relating to investigation on recent deaths of fishermen and status of apprehended fishermen and fishing boats.
The Sri Lankan delegation was led by R.M.I. Rathnayake, Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries, Government of Sri Lanka. The other members of the Sri Lankan delegation comprised of senior officials from the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Fisheries, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Navy, Coast Guard, Sri Lanka Police, Department of the Attorney General, and National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with commitment towards continued cooperation and dialogue to solve the fishermen-related issues and to hold the next meeting of the Joint Working Group as per schedule, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, stated here today.
It may be recalled that the First Meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) was held on December 31, 2016, in New Delhi. The Second Meeting of the JWG was held in Colombo on April 7, 2017. The Third Meeting was held in New Delhi on October 13, 2017, while the Fourth JWG met in virtual mode on December 30, 2020.
-global bihari bureau
My husband and I were really thrilled that Jordan could finish off his inquiry from the ideas he made when using the web pages. It is now and again perplexing just to continually be giving for free solutions that some others may have been trying to sell. We really acknowledge we have the website owner to give thanks to for this. The specific explanations you made, the simple website menu, the relationships your site makes it possible to create – it’s got many fantastic, and it’s letting our son in addition to the family reason why this idea is enjoyable, which is really mandatory. Thanks for everything!