India must ban bottom-trawling to resolve fisheries conflict, Sri Lanka’s Tamil parties tell PM Modi

Raising the long-running tussle for resources in the Palk Bay, the Sri Lankan Tamil politicians highlighted its devastating impact on war-affected Tamil fishermen in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province and the marine ecosystem of the Palk Bay.

During the meeting, Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi general secretary M.A. Sumanthiran recalled the agreement reached by the Governments of India and Sri Lanka in 2016, to “expedite the transition towards ending the practice of bottom trawling at the earliest”.  Mr. Sumanthiran, who was part of the Sri Lankan delegation to the Ministerial-level talks in New Delhi in November 2016, said: “We told PM Modi that we appreciate the initiatives taken by the Indian government to promote deep sea fishing, but pointed to the problem of bottom trawling persisting till date.”

Also read: India, T.N. must help protect livelihoods of northern Sri Lankan fishermen, says Minister Bimal Rathnayake

Differing approaches

Sri Lanka banned bottom trawling in 2017, following a private member’s bill moved by Mr. Sumanthiran, a former MP of Jaffna. India currently follows a seasonal ban on fishing along its east coast, for nearly two months every year between mid-April and mid-June, to allow for fish breeding.

The message from the Sri Lankan politicians assumes greater significance ahead of Mr. Modi’s visit to Rameswaram, from where a sizeable number of bottom trawlers originate and are periodically seized by the Sri Lankan Navy, on charges of illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

Both Mr. Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake mentioned their discussion about the fisheries conflict in their statements on Saturday morning. While Mr. Modi said the leaders had agreed on a “humane approach”, he emphasised the need for immediate release of the Indian fishermen and their boats. Mr. Dissanayake, who underscored the need for a “cooperative approach for a sustainable solution”, said that “recognising the serious environmental damage caused by bottom trawling…we called for decisive measures to halt this activity and to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.”

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri later told the media that the two countries had agreed to intensify institutional discussions and facilitate talks between fishermen associations from both sides soon.