By

D.B.S.Jeyaraj

Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi’s week-end visit to Sri Lanka proved to be quite a success according to print and electronic media reports. The highlights of the two day trip from Friday 4 April to Sunday 6 April were the signing of a Memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation that recognized the inter-linked nature of national security of both countries and the conferment of the ‘Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana’ award upon the Indian Prime minister by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on behalf of the Sri Lankan people.

The only note of discord struck in an environment of concord was the issue of Indian fisherfolk from Tamil Nadu and Puducheri(Pondicheri) poaching in Sri Lanka’s northern waters in large numbers and destroying marine life through pernicious practices such as bottom trawling. One is not aware of how exactly this issue was discussed by the two leaders but their media statements illustrate the “divergence”of perspectives on the question.

President Dissanayake emphasised that a “cooperative approach for a sustainable solution” to the problem was necessary. He further said “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.”

The Indian Prime minister Modi on the other hand was more sanguine. Describing it as a matter of livelihood , Narendra Modi said that the Sri Lankan president and he had agreed on a “humane approach”, being adopted towards the issue. The Indian PM underscored the need for the immediate release of Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody and their seized boats.

Subsequently Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that the two countries had agreed to intensify institutional discussions and facilitate talks between fishermen associations from both sides in the near future. “It is something that has remained a constant feature of discussions at all levels including high levels between the two sides.” said the Foreign secretary

Addressing members of the fourth estate at a media briefing held at the Taj Samudra Hotel, Indian Foreign secy Misri said the fishing issue was discussed in considerable detail by both sides. “Prime Minister emphasised that at the end of the day, it is a daily livelihood issue for fishermen and certain actions that have been taken in recent times could be reconsidered,”

In keeping with the sentiments expressed about adopting a humane approach towards the fishing issue. a token gesture of mutual goodwill was made by both India and Sri Lanka. Eleven Indian fishermen from Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu were released by Sri Lanka without any charges being filed by the Attorney -General. They had been arrested by the Sri Lankan navy for poaching in Lanka’s northern territorial waters. Likewise Indian authorities released two Sri Lankan fishermen from Gurunagar in Jaffna. They were taken into custody after their vessel had strayed into Indian waters due to weather conditions.

PM Modi – Tamil Party Meeting

In a separate development, the question of poaching and bottom trawling by Indian fishermen in Sri Lanka’s northern waters was raised by a delegation of Sri Lankan Tamil political parties in a meeting with the visiting Indian premier on April 5th. The seven member Tamil delegation consisted of Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi(ITAK) president CVK Sivagnanam, ITAK secretary MA Sumanthiran,Jaffna MP Sivagnanam Shritharan, Batticaloa MP Shanakkiyan Rasamanickam, Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam(PLOTE)leader Dharmalingam Siddharthan, Ahila Ilankai Tamil Congress leader and Jaffna MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) leader and Wanni MP Selvam Adaikkalanathan.

A news report in “The Hindu” filed by the paper’s Colombo Correspondent Meera Srinivasan stated as follows – “Sri Lanka’sTamil political leaders on Saturday (April 5, 2025) urged India to ban bottom trawling in order to decisively resolve the fisheries conflict affecting the fishermen of northern Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu.”

“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.”

“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.”

Tamil Nadu Coastal Districts

Indian fishermen from some of the coastal districts in Tamil Nadu poaching in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters in the north is a major problem affecting the Tamil fishermen of Sri Lanka. This is not a case of a few boats straying into our waters, poaching and going away. The two-fold nature of the issue is far more serious.

Fishing Boat Flotilla

What has been happening for many many years is this. A flotilla of fishing boats -many of them well-equipped large trawlers – numbering more than 500 at a time invade northern waters illegally and poach in our territorial waters. This is a deliberate,pre-planned exercise. This flotilla that conducts itself like an Armada fishes in the Sri Lankan waters of the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Straits and Bay of Bengal.

Indian fishing boats advance very close to positions off the Sri Lankan coast in the Jaffna Peninsula and in the districts of Kilinochchi, Mannar and Mullaitheevu. They also engage in large scale fishing in the waters outlying the northern off-shore Islands like Neduntheevu(delft) and Kachchatheevu. The Indian vessels begin encroaching our waters shortly before midnight and withdraw before the crack of dawn.

These Indian boats group together in large numbers for both offensive and defensive reasons.The preponderance of Indian boats deter Sr I Lankan fishermen from accosting them and challenging them. The sight of the flotilla/armada intimidates Sri Lankan fishers. A few Sri Lankan fishermen who get caught to the Indians are assaulted and have their boats damaged. There have been quite a few casualties.

Sri Lanka Navy

Even the Sri Lankan navy does not move into the midst of an Indian fishing flotilla. When Lankan navy vessels do so, they are encircled by the fishing boats who ram the naval vessel, In a recent incident, a sailor from the Sri Lankan navy died of injuries sustained in a ramming incident. These are peaceful times and Sri Lanka is not at war with India. So the Lankan navy cannot open fire at the “civilian invaders”in Indian fishing boats. Hence the Indian fishers are not intimidated and run riot.

Yet the Sri Lankan navy has not been idle either. The Navy maintains vigil whenever possible from a distance. This curtails the tendency among Indian fishers to sail more close to the Sri Lankan coast. The Navy also pounces on an Indian boat that ventures far out from the protective flotilla of boats. The navy surrounds and seizes the isolated straggler at an opportune moment. The alien fishers are arrested and their boats seized. The Sri Lankan navy reportedly arrested 550 fishermen from India in 2024, While some including alleged boat owners are convicted the others are released with a suspended sentence. Over a hundred Indian fishermen were arrested this year. Of these 94 are in Sri Lankan custody yet.

Bottom Trawling

Invading our waters as a fishing boat flotilla and poaching our fish,prawns and crabs is only one aspect of the Indian incursions. The other and far more deadly aspect is the wanton destruction of a permanent nature caused. Many of the Indian fishing boats poaching in Sri Lankan waters are “bottom trawlers”engaging in bottom trawling. “Bottom trawlers” are fishing vessels that typically drag large fishing nets along the seabed, scooping out everything from eggs and fish fingerlings to marine vegetation, in addition to the target catch of fish or shrimps.

For several decades, Indian fishermen from different coastal states, including Tamil Nadu, have indulged in this practice that has boosted India’s seafood exports and yielded high profits. The negative consequence has been the depletion and reduction of fish and shrimps. This is particularly so in the seas off the Tamil Nadu coast especially the Indian side of the Palk straits.

This is an added reason for the impetus in Tamil Nadu for encroaching and poaching in Sri Lankan waters. By engaging in large scale bottom trawling ,the Indian fishers are destroying marine life in Sri Lankan waters. In a few more years, Sri Lanka’s marine resources may be severely diminished to the point where sustainable fishing may be rendered impossible. But the selfish Tamil Nadu fishers who have caused irredeemable harm to their own marine resources are hell bent on doing the same to Sri Lanka also.

Hostility and Animus

Furthermore the Tamil Nadu fishers have displayed unbelievable hostility and animus towards their Tamil speaking counterparts in Sri Lanka. If Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen get caught to the invading marauders, they are severely assaulted and their boats and equipment damaged or destroyed. Fishing nets owned by Sri Lankan fishermen have been deliberately damaged or destroyed by Indian fishers. Recently some Indian boats ventured very close to the Maadagal-Chuzhipuram coast and destroyed fishing nets. In a rare instance, compensation was paid by Indian diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka..

Thus it could be seen that the Tamil Nadu fishermen are ruthlessly and rapaciously exploiting the marine resources of Northern Sri Lanka and causing irredeemable harm in the process. There is no concern about preserving the marine resources for sustainable fishing. This is mainly due to the fact that fishing is no longer a traditional occupation in Tamil Nadu. Many of the castes engaged in fishing for generations have gained upward mobility through education after embracing Christianity. It is no longer a family based occupation or restricted to a local Mudalali’s boats.

Fishing a Capitalist Industry

Instead it has become a capitalist industry. Fish and shrimps and crabs have become “commodified”. They are coimmodities to be produced and sold as much as possible without any concern for livelihood longevity. The large fishing boats and trawlers are owned by rich capitalists. Several of them are either politicians or possessing political links. Many of the boats are owned by fishermen who are “benamis”of others. Benami refers to people who are supposedly the legal owners of assets that actually belong to someone else.

Since there is a land ceiling in Tamil Nadu and most states in India, many landowners have registered their excess lands in the names of their illiterate employees and servants as “benamis”. Likewise many fishing boats are registered in the names of fishermen who are actually benamis. This was discovered by Dutch researchers studying the Indo-Lanka fishing disputes. These researchers also found that most of the fishing boat crews in Tamil Nadu were from castes that were did not engage traditionally in fishing. They were hired on a daily wage basis and are forced into poaching in Sri Lankan waters by their employers.

Indian Authorities

Another point in this regard is how such a huge number of fishing boats are able to venture out into Sri Lankan waters without being restrained or apprehended by Indian authorities. It is obvious that Indian authorities are deliberately turning a blind eye towards what is happening or are being instructed by their political masters to do so. The possibility of being bribed too cannot be ruled out. Whatever the reasons, the problem is becoming acute. Earlier Indian fishing boats invaded Sri Lankan waters only three days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.. Now they are doing it almost on a daily basis alleged ITAK Jaffna MP Shritharan at a meeting in Delft last week.

Fisheries Minister Chandrasekar

Sri Lanka’s new Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna(JVP)led National People’s Power (NPP) government has Ramalingam Chandrasekar as the cabinet minister of Fisheries and Aquatic and Ocean resources. Chandrasekar hailing from Bandarawela is the JVP-NPP organizer for Jaffna. Chandrasekar who has resided in Jaffna for several years is very familiar with the problems faced by northern fishermen at the hands of their Tamil speaking brethren from Tamil Nadu. In fact a huge segment of the coastal population in Jaffna voted for the compass at the 2024 Parliamentary election because of the promise that poaching by Tamil Nadu fishers would be stopped.

Chandrasekar feels strongly about the fishing issue. Prior to President Dissanayake leaving for New Delhi in December last year, the Fisheries minister was interviewed by “The Hindu”in Colombo. In that Interview with Meera Srinivasan, Chandrasekar said that the enduring fisheries conflict can be decisively resolved only if the Indian side stops using the destructive bottom-trawling method.”

“People from all ethnic groups and geographic regions, including the north, east, and hill country, voted for us (National People’s Power alliance), giving us a big mandate in the recently held elections. We have a responsibility to address their concerns.The long-persisting problem of bottom trawlers used by Indian fishermen, originating from Tamil Nadu, has been the chief concern of our northern fishing communities,” said minister Chandrasekar.

Speaking further Chandrasekar said “Solving the Indo-Lanka fisheries conflict is part of the NPP government’s comprehensive plans to enhance Sri Lanka’s fish production using modern technology and sustainable methods.The country’s per capita fish consumption, which was 17.2 kg in 2017, has now declined to 11.07 kg, reflecting a reduction in people’s protein intake, according to the NPP’s pre-poll manifesto. Malnutrition has come under sharp focus, especially after the country’s painful economic crash in 2022.We need to enhance seafood production to ensure people have access to nutrition. To do all that, we need our sea and our marine biodiversity to be protected.”

Sri Lanka’s Stance

Sri Lanka’s stance on the Fishing crisis is crystal clear. The Tamil Nadu fishermen must stop poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters. They must stop the detestable practice of bottom trawling. Sri Lanka’s long suffering Tamil fishermen who were battered and bruised during the long years of the war should be allowed to rebuild their lives and resurrect their livelihood. The Tamil Nadu fishers must refrain from invading Sri Lanka’s fishing waters.

India’s “Humane”Approach

Sadly the dominant Indian attitude and approach towards the issue is different. From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tamil Nadu chief minister Muttuvel Karunanidhi Stalin the response is that this problem should be treated humanely and resolved through talks.

The humane approach advocated is not based on concern for the victimised Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen. It is for the invading Tamil Nadu fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan seas. They are depicted wrongly as the victims. The Sri Lankan navy is falsely accused as being the aggressors. The Lankan navy is cruelly arresting the innocent Tamil Nadu fishermen and seizing their boats is the Indian story. The kinder and gentler humanitarian apporoach they want is to not arrest the Indian fishermen or seize their boats. In short they want the Indian fishermen to continue plundering our marine resources and deprive our fishermen in the name of a humane approach. Sympathy is for the predator and not the prey.

Negotiations a Cruel Joke

The question of resolving the problem through negotiations is a joke -a cruel joke! It is like a gang of robbers invading someone else’s home and stealing things and saying let us resolve this matter through talks. As far as the Indo – lanka fishing dispute is concerned there have been many rounds of talks at different times. Nothing tangible ever materialises because the talks are mere time-buying exercises. The poaching and bottom trawling however continues with no sign of abatement.

Kachchatheevu Islet

Furthermore a new theory is being circulated, generally in India and particularly in Tamil Nadu. This is that the ceding of the Islet Kachchatheevu in 1974 to Sri Lanka by India is the cause of the problems faced by Tamil Nadu fishermen. A lie is being propagated that Tamil Nadu fishermen who occasionally fish in waters near Kachchatheevu are being victimised due to this. It is being falsely stated that if Kachcatheevu is re-acquired by India,, the Tamil Nadu fishermen’s troubles will be over.

Tamil Predicament Blacked Out

It must also be noted that the plight of Tamil fishermen in the north does not figure in the discourse surrounding the Indo -Lankan fishing dispute in India.It is being portrayed as a belligerent Sri Lanka navy versus innocent Tamil Nadu fishermen clash. The Sri Lankan Tamil fisherfolk predicament is totally blacked out. Possession of Kachchatheevu is supposedely the key to resolve the problem.

What then is the genesis of the problem and how and why is Kachchatheevu being brought into it? Should Sri Lanka adopt a “humane”approach as suggested by India and not arrest Tamilo Nadu fishermen poaching in Northern waters? These questions will be delved into in detail in the second part of this article .

D.B.S.Jeyaraj can be reached at dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com

This article appears in the “DBS Jeyaraj Column “of the “Daily Mirror”dated 8 April 2025.It can be accessed here –

https://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/Should-Sri-Lanka-not-Arrest-Tamil-Nadu-Fishermen-Poaching-in-Northern-Waters/172-306253#goog_rewarded

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