Bottom Trawling in Palk Bay: Struggles of fish in Indo-Sri Lankan Waters !

Bottom Trawling in Palk Bay: Struggles of fish in Indo-Sri Lankan Waters !

KAKALI DAS

Palk Bay is a narrow stretch of water separating the Tamil Nadu coast from Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. Spanning 137 kilometers, it serves as a rich marine habitat, supporting over 580 species of fish.

Among them are high-value commercial species like tuna and shrimp, which play a significant role in export trade.

For generations, Palk Bay has sustained fishing communities on both sides, providing them with livelihoods. However, this once-thriving ecosystem now faces growing threats.

Destructive practices like bottom trawling have led to the overfishing of 65% of commercially important species in Tamil Nadu’s waters. Compounding the crisis, human-induced climate change is warming the oceans, while increasing pollution and growing tensions between India and Sri Lanka are further destabilizing this already fragile ecosystem.

What is truly happening in Palk Bay, and what does the future hold for this vital ecosystem and the communities that depend on it?

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India is the world’s third-largest fish producer, accounting for 8% of global fish production. The country’s fishing industry saw a significant boost in the 1960s when Western aid agencies promoted the adoption of mechanized trawling among Indian fishers.

During this period, international demand for shrimp was rising, with new markets emerging in the U.S., Japan, and Western Europe. Seizing this opportunity, India launched the Blue Revolution to capitalize on the demand and boost foreign revenue. Both central and state governments heavily invested in trawl machinery, encouraging fishers to expand their shrimp catch.

“Bottom trawling is used to catch prawns, as they primarily inhabit the seabed, which provides a conducive environment for their survival. Fishers employ twin nets, dragging them along the ocean floor using powerful engines. This practice severely impacts marine ecosystems, destroying seaweeds, coral reefs, and other vital seabed resources. It is undoubtedly an unsustainable practice,” says Herman Kumara, National Convenor of the National Fisheries Solidarity Organization (NAFSO).

Over the following decades, fishery exports driven by trawling became a crucial part of India’s economy. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka remained in a state of turmoil, grappling with a conflict that persisted on and off for a quarter of a century.

The civil war led the Sri Lankan Navy to ban fishing along the coastal side of Palk Bay, devastating local livelihoods for nearly three decades. As Sri Lankan fishers were side-lined, Indian fleets intensified their trawling efforts, nearly tripling India’s fisheries output during this period.

Over time, the expansion of trawlers and advanced fishing vessels depleted fish stocks on the Indian side of Palk Bay, forcing Indian fishers to cross the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL)—a demarcation that equally divides control of Palk Bay between India and Sri Lanka.

By the time the civil war ended in 2009, more than 2,500 Indian trawlers, many equipped with larger engines and advanced technology, were operating in Sri Lankan waters of Palk Bay—a significant increase from around 700 trawlers in the 1970s.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan fishers, using small boats and traditional methods, stood little chance against these massive fleets. This gave rise to a conflict between territorial boundaries and traditional livelihoods.

“When Indian trawlers enter our waters, it has a devastating impact. It destroys the economy, the boats, the engines, and the nets. At times, the conflict escalates to such an extent that people lose their lives. The way of life, traditions, and peaceful existence of the community are being disrupted,” the National Convenor, NAFSO added.

In 2024, a record 535 Indian fishermen were arrested by Sri Lanka for crossing the IMBL. As of November 29, 2024, 141 of these fishermen remained in Sri Lankan jails, and 198 trawlers had been seized.

India is working to shift away from unsustainable trawling practices through initiatives like the Palk Bay scheme and by promoting alternative livelihoods for fishermen.

“The government is also implementing various regulatory mechanisms to better manage fisheries. For certain species, we have introduced notifications, such as minimum legal zones, and mechanized fishing is banned during specific periods to support the reproductive cycles of fish, allowing for stronger and sustained reproduction. If fishing pressure rises or trends indicate it might, we must also offer alternative, diversified livelihood options.

The Government of India, in collaboration with the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, will play a key role in developing these alternatives for communities in those areas. These include mariculture activities such as cage farming, seaweed farming, and other related ventures that can generate income for local populations,” said Dr.Grinson George, Director of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute.

However, these changes are occurring at a slow pace. At the same time, the accelerating effects of climate change, such as ocean warming and coral bleaching, are further aggravating the situation.

In 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that the Indian Ocean has warmed faster than any other ocean since the 1950s. Warmer waters hinder the growth of phytoplankton, which form the foundation of the marine food chain. Over the past 60 years, phytoplankton populations in the Indian Ocean have declined by as much as 20%. Consequently, fish are migrating farther in search of food, forcing fishermen to venture further out into the sea.

“Due to climate change, fish are now migrating deeper into the sea, forcing fishermen to travel farther to catch them. Previously, they would fish up to 4 or 5 kilometers, but now they go as far as 10 to 15 kilometers, increasing their expenses.

This also contributes more to global warming as they travel further. Additionally, this creates a social issue, as fishermen cross into foreign waters. At the same time, the move to deeper waters means that fresh fish are not as readily available to the public as they once were, putting food security at risk,” the National Convenor, NAFSO said.

“In the Indo-Sri Lankan region, coral reefs are predominant. However, since 1998, we have witnessed serious coral bleaching incidents. The coral reef ecosystem here is highly sensitive, and if bleaching occurs, it can impact the breeding physiology of certain fish species.

Reefs are considered essential habitats for some marine resources. Such changes also affect the marine ecosystem’s structure and function, influencing the abundance of species like pufferfish and jellyfish,” said the Director, CMFRI

This issue extends beyond Palk Bay. In the North Atlantic, a “mackerel war” has erupted between Iceland and several other nations, as warming waters have pushed mackerel closer to Iceland’s shores, putting the entire North East Atlantic mackerel population at risk.

Similar conflicts are unfolding between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, between Somali fishermen and international trawlers, and in many other regions.

“At times, the crisis we face is one of the major challenges, and we need to find a solution. This issue extends beyond coastal areas to inland fisheries as well. Inland water bodies are either drying up or submerging surrounding areas.

It’s a global phenomenon, and thus, we need a global solution. While the conservation agenda, like the 30/30 initiative, is being promoted, it often overlooks the rights and values of fisher communities, Adivasi forest communities, and other coastal communities, ignoring their customary tenure rights.

I believe that laws alone won’t bring about positive change. The solution must involve dialogue between people, fostering coexistence. Without this, we cannot move forward,” said the National Convenor.

Fish and seafood are vital sources of livelihood and protein for millions of people worldwide.

In the era of climate change, coexistence is crucial. For any solution to be effective, communities and governments must collaborate to chart a way forward, considering each other’s needs and the challenges of a changing planet.

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