A parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran has reportedly introduced the bill on April 21 in parliament.

Sumanthiran has said that imposing a ban on bottom trawling was one of the measures suggested at a recent meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena on the fishermen issue.

If passed, the bill will particularly hit Tamil Nadu and Puducherry fishermen as these are the biggest offenders as far as bottom trawling in Lankan waters is concerned, India’s Express News Service reported.

A Lankan Act banning bottom trawling will also render untenable, any further talks on the fishing issue between India and Lanka and between fishermen's associations of the two countries.

“Whilst there are proposals to police the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and to introduce a licensing regime, an independent analysis done by Verité Research explains why neither proposal will actually solve the problem, and suggests the introduction of a better alternative, namely, imposing a total ban on mechanized bottom trawling which is the objective of the bill,” Sumanthiran was quoted as saying.

The bill prohibits the use, possession, import, transport, purchase and sale of trawl nets for the purpose of carrying trawling operations in Lankan waters. The punishment prescribed is a fine of Rs. 50,000 and two years of imprisonment.

“Over the past few years we have witnessed the extent to which Indian trawlers have continued to enter Lankan waters, and exploit our resources. Foreign fishermen have caused great distress to our fishermen specially those living in the North. In addition to Indian trawlers, there are also Lankan trawlers operating here,” Sumanthiran has said.