ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka has increased its Navy raids, monitoring, and arrests of Indian fishermen in the island nation’s waters in the Northern sea to prevent illegal encroachment, Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa said.
His statement comes a week after India’s strong condemnation over shooting of its two fishermen by Sri Lanka Navy, which later said the incident was due to a “misfiring”.
“This has been a dragging issue for a long time, discussed under various governments. I think both the Indian and Sri Lankan governments have had discussions on this several times. We under our government also had discussed this,” Jayatissa told the weekly cabinet media briefing on Wednesday in Colombo.
“There is a limit that a government could do on this. But we have increased the navy raids. Arrests also have increased. We are in the process of discussing this. But we don’t think we can give a solution for this within one or two weeks. This issue is also involved with their (India’s) high-tech boats.”
Illegal fishing by Indian fishing boats in Sri Lanka’s Northern waters has been continuing for decades despite the arrest of Indian fishermen and confiscation of multi-day boats they use including banned bottom trawlers.
The accidental firing at an operation to arrest poaching Indian fishermen on January 27 in Sri Lanka’s northern waters has injured two Indian fishermen, the island nation’s navy said amid strong Indian protests over the incident.
“From our side, I can tell that the Navy is acting against the illegal encroachment. Arrests have increased. We are also discussing with the (Indian) government to find a solution,” Jayatissa said.
“Our main aim is to use our fish resources in a beneficial way for our fishermen and protect our fishermen. We are discussing based on those goals.”
The Indian government reacted to the incident by calling the Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner in New Delhi to the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi to express its “strong protest” over the incident.
The poaching by Indian fishermen with bottom trawling has deprived Sri Lanka’s Northern fishermen from catching fish amid depletion of fish resources, Northern fishermen have told EconomyNext.
Bottom trawling is banned in Sri Lanka and the law is strictly implemented to maintain the sustainability of the fishing industry by preventing fingerlings being destroyed.
Thousands of Sri Lanka’s northern fishermen have urged the government to make a final stand on the Indian trawler issue as the encroachment and the damage to their fishing equipment are hindering their livelihood and challenging Sri Lanka’s post-war resettlement efforts.
Bottom trawling is a type of fishing net that’s pulled along the seafloor. Fishermen commonly use the technique to catch shrimp and bottom-dwelling fish.
However, in addition to targeting fish, the nets also catch a variety of ocean life that’s usually thrown back into the water dead or dying.
Dragging heavy gear across the seabed can also damage sensitive seafloor habitat.
The harmful effects of bottom trawling on bottom-dwelling organisms and their habitat can be reduced by modifying the fishing gear or limiting the trawling area.
Sri Lanka Navy has been arresting Indian fishermen who encroach into Sri Lankan waters and involve in illegal fishing including bottom trawling despite Indian protests over arrest and seizing of their vessels.
India has emphasized the need to treat issues pertaining to fishermen in a humane and humanitarian manner, keeping in mind livelihood concerns.
Delhi has repeatedly said the use of force is not acceptable under any circumstances whatsoever. (Colombo/February 05/2025)