13th January 2025 (11 Topics)

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India-Sri Lanka Fishermen Issue

Context

Eight fishermen from Rameswaram and Thangachimadam in Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and poaching near the Neduntheevu islet.

About

The India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) was established through a Maritime Boundary Agreement in 1974, which defined the boundary in the Palk Strait between the two countries.
This agreement was based on the principles outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Under UNCLOS, maritime boundaries are typically determined using the equidistance principle.
This means that the boundary line between two neighboring countries is drawn at an equal distance from their coastlines, creating a midpoint between them.
The purpose of this boundary is to establish the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), territorial waters, and other maritime zones for each country.
This helps in clearly defining the rights and jurisdiction of each country over the resources in these areas, such as fishing, shipping, and offshore resources, to avoid conflicts or disputes over the use of these maritime areas.

Kachchatheevu (islet)

The Palk Bay region, through which the IMBL runs, is a 15,000 sq km biodiverse region.
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:

thousands attend the annual St. Antony’s church festival
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.

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.

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GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

13th January 2025 (11 Topics)

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India-Sri Lanka Fishermen Issue

About

Kachchatheevu (islet)

Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar

Still Have Questions?

GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

India-Sri Lanka Fishermen Issue

About

Kachchatheevu (islet)

Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar

Still Have Questions?

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