Context: Recently, Sri Lankan Navy seized boats and arrested fisherman from Tamil Nadu off the Katchatheevu island.
Background of Conflict between Lankan navy and Indian fishermen
Before 1970

• Prior to 1970s, the coastal fishermen from both sides had an unregulated term with no governing law.

During 1970s

• During the mid-1970s, the area was demarcated by the signing of Maritime Boundary agreements of 1974 and 1976 between India and Sri Lanka.
• This demarcation of ‘Fisheries Line’ vis-à-vis the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) made it illegal for fishermen from either side to cross over into each other’s waters to fish.

After 1970s

• By the end of the 1970s, the Indian fishermen saw the need for new grounds to fish and began to encroach upon Sri Lankan waters despite the water-border agreement.

On the other side, Sri Lanka descended into its internal ethnic conflicts and the resulting civil war of the early 1980s.

• As a result of the civil war, Sri Lanka’s northern province and maritime boundaries nearby were not tightly guarded.
• As a result, Indian trawlers routinely entered Lankan waters for fishing.

Absence of poor Tamil fishermen of Sri Lanka due to the war also favoured fishing by Indian trawlers.

• In 2009, with the end of Sri Lankan civil war, arrests and attacks increased on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.
• As Sri Lankan fishermen returned to their side of the bay, they faced the consequences posed by decade-long Indian trawling in the area.
• Due to their smaller boats, Sri Lankan fishermen could never compete with the high speeding motorboats, which was the major issue which initiated the conflict.

Katchatheevu Island

• Katchatheevu is an uninhabited island administered by Sri Lanka.

Location

• It is located, in the Palk Strait, between Neduntheevu, Sri Lanka and Rameswaram, India and has been traditionally used by both Sri Lankan Tamil and Indian fishermen.

History

• It was owned by the Ramnad Kingdom of Ramanathapuram Rameshwaram which later came under the Madras Presidency during British rule of India.
• In 1974, the island was ceded to Sri Lanka after an agreement was signed between the two countries without consulting the Tamil Nadu government.
• The agreement allows Indian fishermen access to Katchatheevu for rest, for drying of nests and for the annual St Anthony’s festival but it did not ensure the traditional fishing rights.

Government’s Initiative

• Providing all necessary support: This included clothes, toiletries, snacks, dry essentials and masks, besides facilitating phone calls to relatives. They were also arranging legal representation.
• Check on their welfare: In the case of one fisherman who was indisposed, the Indian Consular Officer has visited him in the hospital to check on his welfare.
• Issue of early release of the fishermen and boats: The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka had taken up the issue of early release of the fishermen and boats with the Government of Sri Lanka.

Road Ahead

• Alternative livelihood to fishing in Palk Bay: Indian Government should ensure assistance to the states so that fishermen are able to find alternative livelihoods to fishing in Palk Bay.
• Joint patrols and operations: between the two countries to guarantee effective results on illegal fishing and trespassing.
• United Nations: If both countries are unable to settle the dispute, then they could seek assistance from international maritime experts through the United Nations.
• Island of Kachchatheevu: India can try to get back to the island of Kachchatheevu on lease for fishing activity.