Context: Recently, Sri Lanka’s northern fishermen have reported a sudden increase in the number of Indian trawlers being spotted in the island’s territorial waters.
Issue

• The Indo-Lanka fisheries conflict became a strain on the countries’ bilateral ties, with talks at the highest levels and among fisher leaders on both sides proving futile for years.
• Main Arguments put forth by Sri Lankan fishermen are that Indian trawlers hamper their fish production and the marine habitat – scooping out marine organisms, including fishes and prawns.
• Furthermore, their livelihoods, now under strain due to the coronavirus pandemic that has impaired exports, would be further hit by the Indian trawlers.

How Sri Lankan government is handling the situation?

• In the last couple of years, Sri Lanka introduced tougher laws banning bottom-trawling, and heavy fines for trespassing foreign vessels.
• The Sri Lankan Navy arrested over 450 Indian fishermen in 2017 and 156 in 2018 on charges of poaching.
• A total of 210 arrests were made in 2019, while 34 have been made so far in 2020.

What is bottom trawling?

• Bottom trawling is a destructive fishing practice which affects the marine ecosystem. The practice, which involves trawlers dragging weighted nets along the sea floor, is known to cause great depletion of fishery resources, and curbing it is in the interest of sustainable fishing.

Territorial waters overlap in some areas

• There is no well-defined boundary line between the two nations
• Maritime border between the two countries is about 400 kilometers spreading along three different areas:
• The Bay of Bengal in the north,
• The Palk Bay
• The Gulf of Mannar in the center and the Indian Ocean in the south.
• In the Palk Bay region, distances between the coasts of the two countries varies between 16 and 45 kms.
• This means territorial waters of each country in some areas strays into the others if 12 nautical mile criteria are strictly applied.

India-Sri Lanka maritime boundary agreements

• Both countries signed four maritime boundary agreements between 1974 and 1976 to define the international maritime boundary between them. This was done to facilitate law enforcement and resource management in the waters since both countries are located closely in the Indian Ocean, particularly in Palk Strait.
• The first agreement was regarding the maritime boundary between Adam’s Bridge and the Palk Strait. It came into force on July 8, 1974.
• The second agreement came into force on May 10, 1976, and it defined the maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Mannar and the Bay of Bengal.
• India, Sri Lanka and Maldives signed an agreement for determination of the tri-junction point in the Gulf of Mannar in July 1976.
• In November 1976, India and Sri Lanka signed another agreement to extend the maritime boundary in the Gulf of Mannar.

Katchatheevu Island Issue

• The small islet of Katchatheevu, hitherto used by them for sorting their catch and drying their nets, fell on the other side of the IMBL.
• Fishermen often risk their lives and cross the IMBL rather than return empty-handed, but the Sri Lankan Navy is on alert, and have either arrested or destroyed fishing nets and vessels of those who have crossed the line.

Implementation of Practical Agreements

• Both countries have agreed on certain practical arrangements to deal with the issue of bona fide fishermen of either side crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line.
• Through these arrangements, it has been possible to deal with the issue of detention of fishermen in a humane manner.
• India and Sri Lanka have agreed to set up a Joint Working Group (JWG) on Fisheries between the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare of India and Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development of Sri Lanka as the mechanism to help find a permanent solution to the fishermen issue.

Road Ahead

• The solution lies in transition from trawling to deep-sea fishing in India. Making the use of trawling technique an offence by the Indian government is another solution India can try to get back the island of Kachchatheevu on “lease in perpetuity”.
• Permitting licensed Indian fishermen to fish within a designated area of Sri Lankan waters and vice versa.
• There is anevident need for institutionalization of fisherman in Indian waters by the government of India so that alternative means of livelihood are provided.
• Government needs to mark up a comprehensive plan to reduce the necessity of Indian fishermen on catch from Palk Bay.