(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu have accused the Sri Lankan Navy personnel of snapping their fishing nets and chasing them back to Indian waters while they were fishing near the Katchatheevu islet.
A fishermen association leader in Rameswaram has alleged that over 2,000 Tamil Nadu fishermen from Rameswaram were intimidated and chased away by Sri Lankan Navy while fishing near Katchatheevu, on Sunday.
According to the fishermen association leader, the fishermen from Rameswaram had put out to sea in more than 5700 mechanized boats on Saturday and were fishing in the sea between Dhanushkodi and Katchatheevu when Sri Lankan Naval men came around 11 pm on Saturday in seven patrol boats and intimidated the fishermen by turning on giant lights.
The Lankan Naval personnel also alleged of destroying GPS communication equipment, fish and nets in more than 200 boats.
On August 13, the Lankan naval personnel had driven away more than 2,000 fishermen who were engaged in fishing in their territorial waters besides snapping the nets of more than 50 boats, Deccan Chronicle reported.
Tamil Nadu fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters use destructive bottom trawling to catch fish, a practice banned by Sri Lanka, depleting Sri Lanka’s marine resources.
