According to an official release on January 14, Sunday, the Sri Lankan Navy has detained 12 Indian fishermen and taken their trawlers for suspected poaching in the island nation’s seas. The Navy claimed in a release that the fishermen were taken into custody and their three trawlers were confiscated on Saturday off the coast of Karainagar in the northern Jaffna peninsula. It stated that they were taken to the harbor at Kankesanthurai for more action.
Besides, The fisherman’s problem is a sensitive one in the relationship between India and Sri Lanka; in numerous reported occurrences, Lankan Navy forces are said to have fired at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seized their boats for unlawfully entering Sri Lankan territorial waters.
Twelve more Indian fishermen detained by the Sri Lankan Navy
An official announcement on Monday stated that the number of Indian fishermen detained in the last two days had risen to 55. However, The Sri Lankan Navy detained 12 more Indian fishermen and confiscated two fishing trawlers for allegedly poaching in the nation’s territorial seas. It occurred one day after the Navy detained forty-three Indian fishermen and found six fishing trawlers in the waters southeast of Jaffna’s Delft Island.
To stop Indian fishing trawlers from poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters, the Navy said in a statement that on December 18 and 19, during operations carried out by the Northern and North Central Naval Commands, it was able to apprehend eight Indian fishing trawlers and fifty-five Indian fishermen.
According to the statement, plans are underway to turn them over to the appropriate authorities so they may face legal prosecution after the results of the captured Indian fishermen’s rapid antigen tests. When fishermen from both nations unintentionally enter each other’s seas, they are often imprisoned. The fishermen’s problem is now a key source of friction in bilateral relations.
Why are Sri Lankan officials catching Indian fishermen so frequently?
The Palk Straits, separating India’s southeastern coast from Sri Lanka’s northern coast, pose significant security concerns for Indian fishermen. The maritime international border is too close to both nations’ shorelines, leading to conflicts and irritation. The uninhabited island of Katcha theevu, once owned by the Rajas of Ramanathapuram kingdom, is a major issue in these waters. The island, ceded by India in 1974 to Sri Lanka, is a rich source of fishing, and the maritime international border is too close to both nations’ shorelines.
However, The Palk Straits, a shallow and over-exploited Indian sea, has led to fishermen from Tamilnadu crossing maritime borders to fish in Sri Lankan waters. The Srilankan side views this as a transgression of territorial rights and a setback to their fishermen’s livelihood. The mechanized trawlers from the Tamil side deprive Srilankan fishermen of their catch and damage their boats and nets. Despite regular discussions, no mutually agreeable solution exists, and conflict persists. The Srilankan navy is suspicious of Indian intrusion, arresting fishermen and confiscating boats.
