Moves underway to secure fishermen's release

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The government has taken every possible effort to get the six fishermen along with their multi-day fishing vessel released from the custody of Somali sea pirates with the help of a third party, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr.Rajitha Senaratne said.

Accordingly all measures are in place to send a Sri Lankan team of representatives, including a family member of the fishermen, to Somalia in the near future to have discussions with the non governmental third party who had been appointed to work on this matter, he added.

Addressing a special press briefing at the Information Department, yesterday the minister denied the allegations made by the Indian fishermen that Sri Lanka Navy personnel attacked them when they were fishing in the seas off Sri Lanka's maritime boundary.

"The Indian fishermen are using a number of illegal fishing devices and fishing methods.

'They are netting their entire fish harvest in the Sri Lankan seas using those methods. But the Indian fishermen accuse the Sri Lanka Navy.", the minister said.