Sri Lanka rejects Subramanian Swamy's call for temporary fishing permits

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has rejected a call to allow Indian fishermen to fish in Lankan waters on a permit system for three years, days ahead of a meeting in Delhi to find an amicable solution to the contentious fishing issue.

Turning down the suggestion by senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy made during a seminar organised by the Defence Ministry in Colombo this week, Fisheries minister Rajitha Senaratna said yesterday that such a decision was not possible.

"There is no possibility of agreeing to such a request.Nobody can take an arbitrary decision on this," the minister was quoted as saying by the Sunday Times.

Swamy had requested Lanka to allow Indian fishermen fish in Lankan waters as they were unable to catch good fish on this side.

"On the Gulf of Mannar, our quality fish and shrimps have been fished out. Now, the good export value fish and shrimp are on the Sri Lankan side.

"We have to sit down with Sri Lanka and say give us three years to repopulate our side of the ocean. In between you give us some permits to fish on your side," Swamy had said during the seminar.

The suggestion was bitterly opposed by the Mannar Fisheries Federation (MFF).

Demanding action against illegal poaching by Indian fishermen, MFF President Justin Zoysa had complained that fishing methods employed by Indians were destroying their livelihoods.

The ministers remarks came just days ahead of the scheduled Lanka-India meet on August 29 in New Delhi on the issue of fishermen.

India has been pressing Lanka for permits since direct talks began in January this year, but Lankan Navy continues to arrest Indian fishermen and seize their boats for poaching in Lankan waters.

Earlier this month, Lanka had released 94 Indian fishermen accused of poaching in Lankan waters, as a good will gesture to mark India's Independence Day, followed by the release of 16 Lankan fishermen from India.