Northern fishermen entangled in a geopolitical struggle with India and China – By Arundathie Abeysingh
Northern fishermen are caught up in a geo-political net as a new actor, China is also attempting to enter the fray amidst the ongoing Indo-Lanka fisheries conflict involving Indian fishermen continuing their illegal bottom trawling in Sri Lankan territorial waters.
Last June, to entice Northern fishermen, China donated Rs 1.5 billion worth of humanitarian assistance, fishing equipment, prefabricated housing schemes and dry ration packs for fisherfolk in the Northern and Eastern provinces (the largest consignment during the post-war period). In 2023, China extended its assistance to fishermen by donating 150 liters of kerosene per boat to 27,000 fishing vessels across Sri Lanka. India has also invested billions of rupees in development, enhancement of livelihood and investment projects in the Northern Province.
Despite foreign assistance, Northern fishermen remain skeptical about the government’s commitment to address their long-standing grievances.
Meanwhile, 67 massive mechanized Indian bottom trawlers seized last year by fisheries authorities are anchored at fisheries jetties denying space for boats of local fisherfolk until they are auctioned.
According to Arul Rubatheesan, Malcolm Jeyarajah and Raj Sinniah, leaders of the fishing community, “our fishermen have varieties of specific nets with varying net hole sizes for fishing, but the Indian fishermen wipe out everything. If this practice continues, there will not be any fish left in our traditional fishing grounds in the future.”
According to Annalingam Annarasa, secretary of Kayts Fishermen Cooperative Society “fishermen are of the view that this government may also not address the issues they are facing. The government should strictly implement the law along with the recent amendments introduced to the Fisheries Act (Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act 1996, No. 2 of 1996). Is the government turning us (Northerners) against Indian fishermen for political and geo-political gains?”
According to S. Anthony Vimalathas, president of Mandaithivu Fishermen Union “in Mandaithivu, we have witnessed Indian bottom trawlers 3.5 nautical miles from the coast on several days. Last week, fishermen from Gurunagar in Jaffna discovered an abandoned massive Indian fishing trawler net and found the fish catch, ranging from juveniles (2 inches) to bigger ones (7.8’’) in the net. The total catch was estimated at Rs 400,000. The catch comprised mostly juvenile fish, highlighting the devastating impact of bottom trawling on Sri Lanka’s marine resources. We have informed the Navy, yet, those fishermen were not arrested. Our fishermen’s fishing nets were also damaged. We are exhausted from filing complaints as the authorities are silent about the issue.”
Fishermen in Palaly located 30 minutes from Jaffna in the Northern Province have seen “the arrival of trawlers from Tamil Nadu, resembling a kovil thiruvizha (Hindy Temple festival) as hundreds of boats with bright lights, show up past 8 p.m. to “bottom trawl” every species of fish on their way, causing environmental damage and loss of income. If Indian trawlers are stopped from entering our waters, we will be able to earn a decent living,” said fishermen from Palaly North.
In Mandathivu, many families rejected the Chinese rice packs distributed by fisheries unions as the “rice was sticky and not palatable. Currently, about 100 kilograms of rice is held for months in our stores. We do not need to depend on humanitarian assistance, if the government can ensure that laws of the country are properly implemented in our sea.”
