According to Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda, India “delaying” assistance promised to northern Sri Lankan fishermen, a space constraint along the coast, and the risk of dengue and pollution from old, damaged fishing vessels berthed along the northern coastline left Sri Lanka with little choice but to auction the Indian boats.
The Minister said he had earlier sought Indian assistance to the tune of LKR 500 million (roughly $2.5 million) to support northern Sri Lankan fishermen, whose nets and livelihoods were “destroyed” by bottom trawlers originating from India and found fishing in Sri Lankan waters in the narrow Palk Strait. “India said they cannot award compensation but would support livelihood programmes for fishermen. We are still awaiting an update on that,” he told The Hindu on Wednesday.
In recent protests, northern Sri Lankan fishermen accused the Minister, an MP from Jaffna district, of failing to ensure implementation of Sri Lankan laws on bottom trawling and illegal fishing.
According to the Minister, the vessels being auctioned in Jaffna were mostly seized before 2018. “Even Indian officials inspected them and agreed they were not fit for use. They insisted that should there be an auction, the money go to the Indian side. Since we are yet to receive any Indian assistance for northern fishermen, affected by Indian trawlers, the Fisheries Department decided to go ahead with the auction so that the money can be used to support our fishermen,” he said, amid mounting concern in Tamil Nadu about the ongoing auction of mechanised fishing vessels that were earlier seized by the Navy for illegal fishing.
As of Wednesday, about 140 Indian vessels have been auctioned for lakhs of rupees, officials said.
Responding to local media reports of the auction, the Indian High Commission on Wednesday “stressed” there is an existing bilateral understanding between the Government of India and Government of Sri Lanka on the matter. “In accordance with this understanding, a team from the State of Tamil Nadu, India was to visit Sri Lanka regarding modalities to finalise disposal of unsalvageable Indian fishing boats in Sri Lanka. The High Commission has, recently again, sought necessary clearance from Government of Sri Lanka for the visit,” the statement said.
Katchatheevu festival
Meanwhile, Minister Devananda said he has requested President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to allow Indian fishermen to participate in the coming annual festival at the shrine of St. Anthony in Katchatheevu island. “A committee chaired by the Jaffna Government Agent (similar to District Collector) had recommended that access to the coming Katchatheevu festival be limited to 200 Sri Lankan fishermen, due to the current wave of the pandemic, but I have made this special request to allow Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture,” he said
