Transborder fishing continues to stay a thorn within the flesh of India and Sri Lanka

With the Sri Lankan navy on June 22, 2024 arresting 22 Tamil Nadu fishermen, the whole variety of fishermen arrested until date this yr has gone as much as 204, which is nearly 75 % of the 240 fishermen (approximate) held in 2023.

Within the newest incident, the fishermen had been detained from the North Sea on prices of poaching in Delft island. Their boats had been additionally seized. This yr, together with the Saturday’s incident, a complete of 27 trawlers have been seized.

Transborder fishing has been a thorn within the flesh of each India and Sri Lanka for over three many years.

Because the begin of the civil battle in Sri Lanka in 1983, Tamil Nadu fishermen from the districts adjoining Palk Bay and Palk Strait have braved arrests and detentions and even risked their lives to fish in Sri Lankan waters.

Through the battle, many fishermen misplaced their lives, both caught within the crossfire between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan Navy or being mistaken by the Navy as foes.

A number of tons of, who had been arrested, had spent weeks and months in Sri Lankan jails and detention camps. A whole bunch of boats have been broken or seized, forcing many boat homeowners into chapter 11. But, transborder fishing by Tamil Nadu boats continues unabated.

There are numerous causes for this as said by the fishermen neighborhood and the assorted fishermen societies in Tamil Nadu.

The key motive outlined by them is the declining catch within the Indian waters. The Indian fishing grounds are depleted of their assets and the fishermen transfer over to the Sri Lankan waters for his or her wealthy aquatic flora which, amongst different causes, has swelled as a consequence of being untouched in the course of the battle.

V Vivekanandan, Advisor, South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies, says that the fishermen who find yourself in Sri Lankan waters are principally 2nd or third era fishermen whose ancestors too are fishermen.