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Sri Lanka has arrested 18 Indian fishermen so far this year. file photo
The Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday arrested 8 Indian fishermen and seized two boats. These people are accused of illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters. In a press release issued by the Sri Lankan government, it was said that the Navy has arrested these people by conducting a special operation north of Manrar.
The Sri Lankan Navy said that on the night of January 11, a group of Indian fishermen were seen fishing illegally in Lankan waters. After this, the Navy conducted operations against these people through fast attack craft and inshore patrol craft.
The Indian fishermen have been handed over to higher authorities for further action. So far this year, 18 Indian fishermen have been arrested, while 3 boats have been seized.
How are fishermen caught?
According to Indian government data, a record 535 Indian fishermen were arrested by Sri Lanka in 2024, which is almost double the number in 2023. As of 29 November 2024, 141 Indian fishermen were in Sri Lankan jails, and 198 trawlers were seized.
The number of fish is continuously decreasing in the Indian part. In such a situation, fishermen go to the islands of Sri Lanka (especially Katchatheevu and Gulf of Mannar) for fishing. However, on the way to reach there, there is an international maritime border, which Indian fishermen have to cross. The Sri Lankan Navy arrests Indian fishermen as soon as they cross this limit.
Why are fish numbers decreasing in Indian areas?
According to a report by Al Jazeera, the number of fish in the Indian region is decreasing due to increasing plastic pollution in the sea and the excessive use of mechanical trawlers for decades. Trawlers that scour the seabed in search of fish destroy fish habitat, including coral reefs. This causes problems in their fertilization.
Last year, P. Jesuraja, president of an organization of fishermen in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, had said that the fishermen know that if they cross the border and catch fish, they can be arrested or even die, yet they cross the border. Let’s cross. If fishermen return without catching fish, it will become difficult for them to survive.
Due to the use of machines, the number of fish in the Indian region is decreasing rapidly.
Coral reefs are being destroyed due to the use of trawlers.
India promoted the use of trawlers for fishing in the 1950s. The result was that the income of Indian fishermen increased, but the coral reef present here was destroyed on a large scale. This led to a decline in the genetic and species diversity of fishes.
Due to changing rainfall patterns and rising temperatures, phytoplankton (a type of algae) is increasing rapidly in the ocean. Due to this, small fish have difficulty in breathing and they die soon. Apart from this, plastic pollution also causes problems for fishermen.
On the other hand, the area of Sri Lanka is relatively richer in fishes. Sri Lankan fishermen fear that the arrival of Indian trawlers in their waters will lead to a decline in fish populations.
In India, the use of trawlers increased the income of fishermen but led to destruction of coral reefs on a large scale.
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