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India-Sri Lanka Fishermen Issue

Context

India has reiterated its concerns over the increasing detention of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities at the recent India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group (JWG) on Fisheries meeting.

What are the issues between India and Sri Lanka?

The ongoing issue revolves around the detention of Indian fishermen, predominantly from Tamil Nadu, accused of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) into Sri Lankan waters.
Majorly, the problem has three interrelated facets:
- disagreements over Kachchatheevu (islet)
- poaching by Indian fishers in Sri Lankan waters
- practices like bottom trawling (which deplete marine resources)
The disagreement between both parties arose after signing two agreements in 1974 and 1976 on the maritime boundaries.
According to the 1974 Indo-Lanka Maritime Agreement, the Indian Government ceded Kachchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka.
However, Indian fishermen have been crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) unintentionally and have sometimes been apprehended or faced unfortunate consequences from the Sri Lankan authorities.
UNCLOS: India and Sri Lanka have both signed the United Nations Convention Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and it is crucial to consider Sri Lanka’s claim that Indian fishermen engage in illegal fishing activities after crossing the IMBL.
- According to Article 19 of UNCLOS, vessels that engage in such activities in foreign territorial seas are considered a threat to the “peace, good order, or security of the coastal state.”

Fact Box:

Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar

The Palk Strait is a narrow strip of water that separates the state of Tamil Nadu in India from the northern regions of Sri Lanka.
Both Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen have been fishing in the Palk Bay Straits for several years but the maritime agreements signed between the two sides in 1974 and 1976 led to the demarcation of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
The two treaties between the two countries led to the Palk Bay Strait connecting India and Sri Lanka being declared a "two-nation pond" under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea rules.
This led to the ban on fishing in international waters of the two countries.

Kachchatheevu (islet)

The prolonged dispute over fishing rights around Kachchatheevu Island in Palk Bay has been a source of tension between India and Sri Lanka for many years.
The Palk Bay region, through which the IMBL runs, is a 15,000 sq km biodiverse region. It hosts more than 580 species of fish, 300 species of marine algae, 11 species of seagrass, five species of turtles, and a rich variety of mangroves.
The 285-acre land, strategically important for fishing activities, was owned by the Raja of Ramnad (Ramanathapuram) and later became part of the Madras Presidency after the delimitation of Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait during British rule between the then governments of Madras and Ceylon.
Kachatheevu is important for Indian fishers mainly for two reasons: a) thousands attend the annual St. Antony’s church festival; b) Indian fishermen make a halt on the islet for rest and to dry their fishing nets.
However, the bilateral pact does not allow them to fish around it. It is situated just 32 km north of Dhanushkodi and spreads over 285 acres.

Economic reality of Tamil Nadu’s Fishermen

India is the third largest producer of fish in the world and occupies the second position in aquaculture production.
Tamil Nadu, with its 13 coastal districts, with 422 fishing villages, 375 landing centres, and 75,721 households with over a million fishers, ranked third in total marine fish production in the country during 2017-18.
In spite of the fact that the contribution of fisheries to the GDP is 1 per cent and the share of fisheries in agricultural GDP is 5 per cent, most people in the fishing community live in poverty.

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GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

30th October 2024 (10 Topics)

Copy

India-Sri Lanka Fishermen Issue

What are the issues between India and Sri Lanka?

Fact Box:

Still Have Questions?

GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

India-Sri Lanka Fishermen Issue

What are the issues between India and Sri Lanka?

Fact Box:

Still Have Questions?

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