SL fishermen threaten TN fishermen, take away Rs 10 lakh nets

Rameswaram (TN): Sri Lankan fishermen on Wednesday allegedly threatened their counterparts from Pamban area here who were fishing in an area close to the island nation and took away 10 nets worth Rs 20 lakh. Fisheries department officials said Sri Lankan fishermen offered to return the nets provided mechanised boat fishermen stopped using banned nets as it badly affected marine wealth in their fishing zone and their livelihood.

The Sri Lankan fishermen accused Indian fisheries department officials of conniving with mechanised boat owners to allow them to carry the banned nets and warned that if this went on, the island nation`s naval personnel would continue arresting them. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan naval personnel arrested five fishermen and seized their mechanised boat when they were fishing near Katchathivu. They also reportedly chased away at gunpoint most of the 589 mechanised boats fishing in Katchativu islet area.