• Seek collective measures for ‘lack’ of Budgetary support, new Bill, Indian poaching 

A group of Northern fishermen yesterday (22) revealed that they have planned to hold discussions with Southern fishermen in order to consider collective measures to a host of issues faced by Sri Lanka’s fisheries community. 

They claimed that the Budget 2024 has failed to provide the much needed support for the economic crisis-affected fisheries sector, while the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Amendment) Bill is likely to have several forms of negative impacts on the sector. In addition, Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters has become a bigger issue in the recent past. In this context, the group called for immediate interventions by the Government to alleviate the detrimental impacts of these issues. 

During a press briefing held in Colombo, the group alleged that the Government has – through the Budget and the said Bill – neglected the country’s fisheries sector and the community that depends on it. They opined that this is despite the fact that the sector continues to contribute to the country’s economy and the population’s protein requirement even amidst the severe impacts of the economic crisis.

“Sri Lanka should view this neglect of the fisheries community as a national issue as Sri Lanka is an Island nation that depends considerably on the fisheries sector, and not as an issue of one sector or the fisheries sector based in the North,” one fisherman stressed.

The group, which consisted of fishermen from Kilinochchi, Mannar, and Jaffna, raised a host of economic issues faced by the sector in the current socio-economic context, adding that the Budget 2024 was disappointing, especially for small-scale fishermen who constitute the lion’s share of the country’s fisheries community. Academic Ahilan Kadirgamar, joining the press briefing, opined that the Budget provides absolutely nothing for small-scale fishermen, and that that community has been abandoned.

At the same time, they noted that the Government did not obtain the fisheries community’s opinions and recommendations adequately during the process of drafting the proposed Bill, adding that the Bill would therefore, fail to address the issues faced by fishermen and ensure the growth of the fisheries sector. 

The group said that Indian fishermen’s continuing and increasing poaching in the Northern seas has become a bigger issue than before owing to the economic crisis which has reduced the Northern fishermen’s income significantly. Northern fishermen, who used to engage in fishing activities six days a week, are now fishing only around three days a week. In the current context, they said that the Government and the relevant authorities should expedite talks with India, and bring in some sort of tangible and sustainable solutions. 

In addition, they raised concerns about how the authorities deal with Indian poachers. They claimed that even though the local authorities used to take considerable legal actions against poachers in the past, the authorities at present do not seem to be paying adequate attention to deter poachers. They pointed out that since many poachers engage in illegal or banned fishing activities, poaching is not only an economic issue faced by the fisheries community, but also an environmental issue that concerns the country’s aquatic resources. What is more, they added that Sri Lanka not having a proper system to properly utilise its aquatic resources is a challenge, which also requires immediate solutions.

“The poaching issue, which has persisted for decades, should be addressed forthwith if Sri Lanka is to save the fisheries sector,” they said. 

In the recent past, Indian poachers have been apprehended, investigated, and sent back on a number of occasions. Recently, a Sri Lankan court sentenced an Indian poacher to a two-year prison term for repeated poaching and trespassing in Sri Lankan waters. In addition, the said court summoned the owners of the boats used to poach. The poaching issue is a concern particularly to the Tamil Nadu State Government.