Nineteen Rameswaram fishermen, whose trawlers were confiscated by the Sri Lankan navy and could not be salvaged after Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena ordered the release of all the confiscated trawlers, have appealed to the government to pay them compensation and help them resume their livelihood.

Led by U. Arulanandam, president, Alliance for Release of Innocent Fishermen (ARIF), the fishermen presented a memorandum to Collector K. Nanthakumar at the Collectorate in Rameswaram on Monday, giving details of the registration numbers of the boats and urging him to take up the issue with the government and arrange for compensation.

Arulanandam said that the Lankan navy had confiscated the trawlers while arresting the fishermen on charges of poaching in June and December last year. The navy had confiscated more than 80 boats during the last fishing season.
(With inputs from The Hindu)