• Minister Devananda urged to engage India for compensation
• Local fishers complain of inability to do fishing due to unlawful acts

Indian fishermen who indulge in unlawful fishing activities in the sea off Sri Lanka had caused Rs.20 million damage to fishing gear of Sri Lankan fishermen carrying out fisheries around Delft Island in Jaffna in the span of a few days, a statement from the Fisheries Ministry said.

The representatives of the local fisheries’ association brought this to the notice of Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda and requested him to engage the Indian government to secure compensations. They met the minister in Jaffna at the meeting of the District Fisheries’ Association. According to the statement, the fisheries representatives informed the Minister that it had been extremely difficult for them to engage in fisheries because of poaching by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters. They said Indian fishermen were using dynamite for fishing, causing enormous damage to Sri Lanka’s marine ecology.

• The fisheries representatives informed the Minister that it had been extremely difficult for them to engage in fisheries because of poaching by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters