Four fisherman from Tamil Nadu were arrested by Sri Lankan Navy personnel today for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line.
They were fishing near Kangesanthurai port when the Navy personnel arrested them, S Emirite, president of Rameswaram fishermen organisation said.
The fishermen were later taken to the naval base there, he said.
This is the second instance of arrest of fishermen from Tamil Nadu this month.
The Navy personnel had on June 2 arrested four fishermen while allegedly fishing near Neduntheevu, a small island near Jaffna in the north of the neighbouring nation, following which Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention for their release.
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Addressing the meeting, Agriculure Minister Radha Mohan Singh said: "India is committed to find a permanent solution to this issue.... This problem can be permanently resolved by taking fishermen's associations into confidence in the decision making process."
The November 2 meeting of fishermen's association of India and Sri Lanka was inconclusive. Sri Lankan fishermen's demand of banning bottom trawling or other destructive fishing methods in Palk Bay "seem" to be genuine, he said.
"In order to ensure availability of natural resources to future generation while meeting the livelihood needs of the present, we have to make conscious and collective efforts," he said and highlighted steps taken by India in stopping bottom trawling in a phased manner.
That apart, India is considering the modalities for implementation of a scheme to encourage deep-sea fishing. A special package is being worked out for Tamil Nadu fishermen to undertaken deep-sea fishing, he said in a statement.
Permission has been granted for construction of fishing harbour at Mugaiyur in Viluppuram district, Tamil Nadu and efforts are being made to set up fishing harbours at Rameshvaram and Ennore.
"All these efforts may be useful in solving the fishermen issues between India and Sri Lanka," he added.
