31 January 2018 11:30 am
“Fisheries issue is something for which we need to talk to each other. We have to speak to each other. Our fisheries ministers visit each other and a joint working group is discussing how to sort this issue,” she said.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Managing Director Sutheash Balasubramanian said fisheries issues are different and that the two factions need to talk each other.
“Tamil Nadu fishermen come for fishing in our territory which makes an impact on our fishermen’s livelihood. Solution is to talk to each other to see how we can sort out the issue and hope we can do it soon,” he said.
On Jan 26, Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera said, “Parliament approved the amendments to the Foreign Fisheries boats Regulation Act to increase fines on foreign vessels poaching in the country's waters”.
The Act aims to prevent illegal fishing activities in the Sri Lankan waters and protect the fisheries and aquatic resources of the country's coastal belt.