A messy fishy problem sours Indo-Lanka relations

There is a war-like situation growing in the Palk Straits. It is a battle for fish and livelihood, especially affecting our Northern fisher communities. The demarcation of the maritime boundary agreements of 1974 and 1976 between India and Sri Lanka made it illegal for fishermen from either side to cross over into each other’s waters to fish. 
But large Indian trawler vessels keep aggressively entering our sea-space. The bottom trawling methods they use denude fish stocks and the Indian fishermen themselves act aggressively toward the smaller Lankan boats. In more recent times, aggressive actions of Indian fishermen resulted in the death of Sri Lankan navy personnel.

For long, the ethnic war hindered the Lanka’s Northern fisher community’s’ ability to fish in their own waters due to war-related issues. Around this period the Indian government provided subsidies to fishermen to buy new boats and nets to help improve their catch. South Indian fishermen in Rameswaram adopted a process known as ‘trawling’. 
A system where nets with weights attached, are dropped to the bottom of the sea and dragged along the sea bed scooping up shoals of fish. The process denudes fish stocks as shoals of even fingerlings get caught up in the ‘scoop’. After years of trawler fishing, the Indian side of the line of demarcation lacks fish stocks. 
At this point Indian fishermen began encroaching Lankan waters. It was also a time when the ethnic conflict in Lanka was raising its head. It resulted in the Sri Lankan Navy establishing security zones in the sea, which restricted Lankan fishing activities. 

The worsening civil conflict in Lanka saw a decline in local fishing boats putting out to sea. In turn it left Lankan waters open to Indian trawlers mainly from Tamil Nadu who soon viewed fishing in Lankan waters as a right. 
Despite the end of the ethnic war, Indian poaching in Northern Lankan waters has continued. Northern fishermen claim their nets and fishing equipment are continuously subject to damage caused by Indian bottom trawling. It has left them with damaged nets and broken equipment. 

Speaking to our sister paper, local fishing community leaders from Vadamarachchi alleged both the Government and Tamil politicians failed to protect the interests and the fishing community. They also ask why Government is unwilling to implement the law passed in 2018 declaring trawling illegal. 

Rather than tackle the problems raised by local fishing communities, both government and Tamil politicians in the north and east tend to speak of India’s and Sri Lanka’s long shared, deep-rooted relationship, and the ‘crucial role’ India played in supporting Lanka, especially during our financial crisis.
There’s no denying of the positive role played by India under Premier Modi during our ongoing financial crisis. However, in an earlier era India did play a much more belligerent role during the ethnic war. One can hardly forget the infamous ‘Parippu drop’, and the entry of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) into the country which led to a much wider civil conflict here.

The Modi regime brought a change of attitude of the Indian Central government towards Sri Lankan sovereignty. Unfortunately this has not permeated to the state government in Tamil Nadu (TN) and its Chief Minister who seems to view the northern Lankan waters as part of TN’s fishing ground. 

At times when over 500 Indian trawlers illegally enter our seas are rounded up by the Lankan Navy, the Chief Minister Stalin writes to the Indian Premier and External Affairs Minister demanding the release of these fishermen and requests to stop harassing them.

Now for the first time, a Cabinet Minister of Lanka is standing up for the rights of the country and local communities.
In no frills critique, Minister Bimal Ratnayake demanded that India should prevent its fishermen from poaching in Lanka’s waters. He emphasised the damage caused by Indian trawlers on both the environment and the devastating impact on the livelihood of northern fishermen. 

It can only be hoped, that prior to Premier Modi’s anticipated visit to Lanka later this year the issue can be successfully tackled. Let’s ensure that relations between our nations do not sour to the level of the ethnic war.

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