Good atmospherics during India-Sri Lanka fishermen associations meet

The meeting between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen's associations in Chennai saw much better atmospherics and receptivity compared to the earlier two meetings, a top official said here on Wednesday.

The Indian fishermen's association proposed to its Sri Lankan counterpart to see if it was possible to work out a way for environmentally sustainable fishing that would be a win-win situation for both sides till a proper solution is worked out, external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said at a media briefing here.

The fishermen's issue was a "longer term requirement which we need to address" and that "everybody understands that there is no solution just round the corner", he said.

The spokesperson said "the focus of the suggestions made by the Indian side is to try and see in the interim if it would be possible to work out a via media where there could be environmentally sustainable fishing which would be a win-win situation for both sides".

The meeting between the two sides in Chennai was the third. The first was in January last year and the second was in May last year.

He said the "atmospherics as well as the receptivity during this meeting was much better compared to previous meetings".

The spokesperson said the Sri Lankan side was more receptive to the Indian suggestions.

The Sri Lankan side is to return to its country and in April they would be holding a "fairly detailed conference amongst all of them to take cognizance of how they need to proceed. It is at that conference that they will discuss these suggestions following which they will come back, or there will be a next meeting that is in May".

The fishermen's association of both sides held talks in Chennai even as Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena ordered the release of 54 Indian fishermen arrested on Sunday by the navy for allegedly poaching in the country's waters.

The 54 Tamil Nadu fishermen along with their 10 boats were seized in two separate incidents in the early morning hours of Sunday when they were allegedly poaching in the island's waters off the coast of Kankasanthurai and Thalaimannar in the north, said a Sri Lankan media report.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to the island nation earlier this month, had said that the "complex issue" involves livelihood and humanitarian concerns on both sides and both sides should handle it from this perspective.

Modi also said both need to find a long term solution to the issue.

He had said the fishermen's associations should meet soon to find a mutually acceptable arrangement, which can then be taken forward by both governments.

Ahead of Modi's visit to Colombo, the island nation had released 86 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture.