Fishermen of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province are demanding they too should be allowed to do “mid-water trawling” in the seas around Sri Lanka in the backdrop of Indian, Chinese and Sri Lankan fishermen of other areas are raking up a good income by indulging in this practice.

Following requests from the fishermen, Northern Province Fisheries Minister, B Deniswaran, formed a 15-member committee to go into the question. It will hold its first sitting in Jaffna on September 10, according to a media release.

Northern Provincial Council member M K Sivajilingam have told media that while fishermen from other parts of Sri Lanka and Chinese vessels flying the Lankan flag are indulging in mid-water trawling, North Lankan fishermen are not allowed to do so.

Midwater trawling is trawling (net fishing) at a depth that is higher in the water column than the bottom of the ocean. This is therefore different to bottom trawling in both the catch and the impact to the sea. Whereas bottom trawling can leave serious incidental damage to the sea bottom in its trail, midwater trawling is said to be relatively benign.