INDO - LANKA FISHERMEN’S FEDERATION TO BE SET UP

An Indo-Lanka Fishermen’s Federation will be set up with a Memorandum of Understanding to be signed at Rameshwaran between Fishermen’s Associations in Sri Lanka and their Indian counterparts later this month.

Informed sour- ces said yesterday Indian fishermen led by its President S. Devadas will visit Sri Lanka to work out the modalities of setting up the joint federation which was first mooted when Fisheries Ministry Advisory Board Member S.P. Anthonymuttu met Mr. Devadas at Remeshwaran recently. Mr. Anthonymuttu confirmed he had met Mr. Devadas during his recent visit and quoted Mr. Devadas has having said that the Rameshwaran fishermen were against using of trawlers by some South Indian fishermen.

He is reported to have told Mr. Devadas that the South Indian Fishermen would have no problem with their Sri Lankan counterparts because the Sri Lankan Fisheries ministry has done its best to provide essential equipment for the Sri Lankan fishermen to make maximum use of the Sri Lankan waters. Mr. Anthonymuttu is prepared to work as a coordinator to set up the joint federation Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne had advised them to avoid straying into Indian waters.

Mr. Anthonymuttu said fisheries ministry had done its best to provide essential equipment for the Sri Lankan fishermen to make maximum use of the Sri Lankan waters.

He said he was prepared to work as a coordinator between the Sri Lankan and Rameshwaran fishermen in setting up the joint federation.