Proceedings of 8th International Research Conference, KDU, Published November 2015

Illegal Fishing Issue as a Non-traditional Security Threat to Sri Lanka

Abstract Non-traditional security threats are treated as crossing for fishing purposes was prohibited after
a novel trend in the concept of security. Accordingly, the enacting the maritime boundary agreement, still these
high handed poaching by hordes of Indian fishermen in Sri violations continue in the Palk Strait, Palk Bay and Gulf of
Lankan waters poses a grave threat to national security & Mannar. Fishermen of both countries rarely respect the
economy of Sri Lanka. The study is focused to identify maritime boundary, because the earnings by fishing are
the illegal fishing acts committed by Indian fishermen in far more important to them. The violations have been
Sri Lankan waters as a non-traditional security threat and continuously going on up to the present day. Sri Lankan
its nature. Despite of the main objective of the study, the Navy and Indian Coast Guards (West) patrol as
sub objective of the study is to evaluate the impact of monitoring forces that nab the offenders at the maritime
poaching on political, economic, military, societal and boundary of both countries. The present study is based
environmental security of Sri Lanka. For the study, Barry on to identify this act as a non-traditional security threat
Buzans five sectors of security concept have been applied in the context of security of Sri Lanka. Universally
to evaluate impact of the illegal fishing by Indian accepted term for illegal fishing is illegal, unreported
fishermen in Sri Lankan waters. Methodology that and unregulated fishing (IUU). At the international level,
followed for this study is qualitative in nature while using this issue is mostly taking place in the countries like
both primary and secondary data. To collect primary China, Korea, Russia, Baltic Sea, and Zimbabwe
data, a sample of 50 people has been used in the fields of (Magdalena, 2010). To a State, security is the paramount
government, academic, military and other professionals. element of her sovereignty. In this paper, the issue of
According to the study, as per the characteristics of the poaching by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters has
non-traditional security threats, illegal fishing activities by been elaborated and only from the point of view of Sri
Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters are identified as a Lanka, its impact has been classified under the concept of
non-traditional security threat to the national security of security.
Sri Lanka. In the elaboration of the nature of this act, it
revealed that this illegal act has considerable influence on II.METHODOLOGY
political, economic, military, societal and environmental To achieve the twofold objectives of the study, both
security in the context of national security of Sri Lanka. In primary and secondary data have been used. Descriptive
the evaluation of its impact on political, economic, analysis method has been followed for this study. For the
military, societal and environmental security, the most evaluation of the impact of illegal fishing issue on the
alarming impacts can be identified on political security security of Sri Lanka, a theory of Barry Buzan has been
and on environmental security. applied and a purposely selected sample of 50 people in
the fields of academic, military and other professionals
Keywords Non-traditional, Security, Illegal fishing have been used as primary data. Buzans five levels of
security sectors such as, military, political, economic,
I. INTRODUCTION societal and environmental security have been evaluated
In the mid 1980s poaching issue between Sri Lanka and in this paper. Within the five levels of security sectors, it
India came in to the forefront with emergence of violent is focused to identify whether the particular issue has an
ethnic conflict between the Tamil militants and the Sri impact on each security sector which can be able to
Lankan government. But the poaching issue took place define as a threat to the security of the country.
prior to the ethnic conflict of Sri Lanka. Poaching issue
represents the trespassing of International Maritime III. FINDINGS
Boundary Line (IMBL) by fishermen -of Sri Lanka and A. Poaching Issue as a Non-traditional Security Threat
India- for fishing . Even though maritime boundary

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Non-traditional security threats are defined as challenges fishermen in Indian waters as well as by Indian fishermen
to the survival and well-being of peoples and states that in Sri Lankan waters. Both countries are victims of this
arise primarily out of non-military sources such as climate illegal act. Moreover, this act of illegal fishing done by
change, infectious diseases, natural disasters, irregular Indian fishermen in Sri Lanka is transnational in its
migration, food shortages, smuggling of persons, drug nature.
trafficking and other forms of transnational crimes. The
main objective of this paper is to identify the poaching by Cannot be prevented entirely Even though, this act has
Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters as a non-traditional been going on for a long time across the maritime border
security threat and its nature. For this purpose, it is in Sri Lanka, neither country could entirely prevent these
essential to recognize the characteristics of the non- illegal fishing activities. Both countries have taken
traditional security threats. Through the literature collective efforts to prevent this act by initiating Joint
review, several important characteristics have been Working Groups and engaging in a series of discussions,
identified as follows : yet the piracy continues on an ever increasing basis.
Focuses on non-military security threats.
Transnational in nature. Affects the populace, their survival and dignity Most of
Cannot be prevented entirely. the Northern Province fishermen of Sri Lanka are at the
The object of security is no longer just the state, receiving end of this transgression by multitudes of
but also the people, their survival and dignity. Indian fishermen. The livelihood of local fishermen has
Consequences are often more difficult to reverse or been endangered, with little or no redress in sight. Due to
repair. the reasons such as high technological trawlers, blatant
usage of illegal nets, bellicose approach in flocks of Indian
Focuses on non-military security threats - As per the fishermen poorly equipped Northern Province fishermen
characteristics, accordingly the act of poaching or IUU is of Sri Lanka are facing hardships and their life at stake.
not based solely on military purposes. The prime reason Some of the Sri Lankan fishermen have lost their lives due
for the Indian fishermen to cross the International to the clashes between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen
Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and trespass into the Sri in high sea. As per that, this act has been a threat to the
Lankan waters is the abundance of good quality fish and mere survival of the Sri Lankan fishermen.
brown prawns. Territorial waters especially around Tamil
Nadu are now in the process of depletion of fisheries Consequences often more difficult to reverse or repair
resources. In addition to the main detriment, as Illegal fishing by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters
consequences of illegal fishing and to some extent drug has a detrimental impact on the marine environment of
trafficking, smuggling, gun running, human trafficking and the Northern sea of Sri Lanka. Due to the usage of
illegal trading are taking place which pose a threat to the Bottom-trawls method by Indian fishermen, they destroy
security of Sri Lanka. During the civil conflict in Sri Lanka, the entire sea bed. Aftermath, the sea bed is not capable
illegal trading and smuggling of arms & ammunition of regaining marine resources anymore and stepped into
along with fishing activities by Indian fishermen have depletion. The main reason for the Indian fishermen to
been a threat in the context of military. Even though the cross the IMBL and enter into the Sri Lankan waters is the
consequences of IUU relate to military means, the actual availability of good quality fish and brown prawns. They
motive of the illegal fishermen is not purely on military extensively reap the harvest meanwhile raping the
purposes. marine resources and disturbing the fragile eco-system. It
will take thousands of years for the marine resources to
Transnational in nature - The word "transnational" replenish and sometimes these may vanish forever. In
describes crimes that are not only international (i.e. that context, the grave consequences of illegal fishing are
crimes that cross borders between countries), but crimes difficult to reverse or to regain in future.
that by their nature involve cross-border transference as
an essential part of the criminal activity. According to the While using the primary data, it is evaluated to identify
term transnational, poaching by Indian fishermen in Sri whether the illegal fishing issue created by Indian
Lankan waters, also occurred across the borders between fishermen in Sri Lankan waters is a non-traditional threat
Sri Lanka and India. It means at inter-state level. In this to Sri Lanka. The result is shown in the draft below.
context, this is an act of IUU is committed by Sri Lankan

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duties of maritime security, Sri Lankan Navy is engaged in

Disagree Strongly disagree 2) Political Sector -Even after the maritime boundary
8% agreement in 1974, this illegal act was continuing. This
18% poaching issue which originated from Tamil Nadu as a
48% minor violation has now escalated to a large scale
26% trawler war. Politicians from both sides of Palk Strait
merely pay lip service to end the controversy with no
equitable solution in sight. Tamil Nadu has a huge
population whose main occupation is fishing. Tamil Nadu
Figure 1.Illegal fishing issue as a Non-traditional threat opposed the maritime boundary agreement between Sri
Lanka and India in 1974 and 1976 which they called as an
As per the draft, the majority is shown at 48%, which inhuman agreement. This agreement failed to uphold the
strongly agree that illegal fishing issue is a non-traditional territorial rights over Kachchativu as well as the
threat to Sri Lanka. traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen in these
waters. The Tamil Nadu fishermen still continue to suffer
B. Impact of Illegal Fishing Issue on Five Levels of Security because of the failure of New Delhi to uphold the
Sectors of Sri Lanka interests of Tamil Nadu in this matter. In current
1) Military Sector - The illegal fishing issue endangers the situation, illegal fishing issue has reached a critical stage
maritime security of Sri Lanka. At the time of the civil and not the Central Government of India but Tamil Nadu
conflict in Sri Lanka, there were several incidents which is proactively playing a role to influence Sri Lanka. The
exposed a security threat by the poaching of Indian State Government of Tamil Nadu is using their clout to
trawlers. On 23rd August 2013 at the Kotelawala influence and coerce the Central Government of India to
Defence Universitys annual international research take an action against Sri Lanka regarding the illegal
symposium, Commander Rohan Joseph of the Sri Lanka fishing issue. The key roles are played by the Chief
coast guard said that, in the post war era when Sri Lanka Minister M. Karunanidhi, who is also the President of the
is not faced with any immediate security threat in terms Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and Selvi J.
of an armed adversary, the incessant poaching by Indian Jayalalitha. It revealed that State Government of Tamil
trawlers constitute a threat to Sri Lankas maritime Nadu is exploiting the situation to exert pressure on
security. According to him, over 4500 Indian trawlers on Central Government of India to change its stance on Sri
average poach in Sri Lankan waters three days a week. It Lanka. State Government of Tamil Nadu can be
reveals that since the war era in Sri Lanka, Indian trawlers addressed as a third party which is involved in the
poached in Sri Lankan waters. At that time, it was a fishermen issue and exploiting the groundswell of the
serious security threat to Sri Lanka. Even today -the war matter to gain political mileage. Overall, it appears that
is over- the threat from terrorism is not completely over. there is no sincere will in the State Government of Tamil
Due to that point, the poaching of Indian trawlers in Sri Nadu immediately reducing its fleet of trawlers.
Lankan waters still poses a security or military threat to Evidently, the Tamil Nadu government was actively
Sri Lanka. Illegal fishing in other countrys territorial involved in exerting pressure on its Central Government
waters can be linked with other kinds of illegal acts such to support United Nations human rights resolution
as drug trafficking, smuggling arms & ammunition, against Sri Lanka and its continued concern on the
human trafficking and illegal trading and also he stated purported violation of the rights of the Sri Lankan Tamils
that illegal fishing issue is a non-traditional threat to Sri (Moses, 2011). External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid
Lanka while endangering the military security as well. admitted that emotive protests in Tamil Nadu did
Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters also have a influence Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs decision to
connection with the drug trafficking (Kurukulasuriya, skip the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
2012).The use of terms as invasion and trawler war (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka. The illegal fishing issue between
to describe Indian poaching in Sri Lankan waters point Sri Lanka and India is exploited by the State Government
towards the magnitude of the problem. In performing the of Tamil Nadu to fulfill their own requirements, by
escalating the issue further without arriving at a solution.

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This is a threat to the sovereignty of Sri Lanka because, illegal poaching by Indian fishermen is considerably a
habitually a huge fleet of Indian fishing crafts is entering large amount (Hettiarachchi, 2007). According to the
the Sri Lankan waters without any permission. Tamil above details, it is clearly proved that this illegal fishing
Nadu is endangering the political security of Sri Lanka by issue has made a considerable impact on the economic
using their own recipe. If this issue continues, Sri Lanka security of Sri Lanka which endangered the livelihood of
may have a considerable impact on her political sector Northern Province fishermen.
from the international heavy weights.
4) Societal sector - People of the Northern Province are a
3) Economic sector - Fish production of Sri Lanka significant part of the society of Sri Lanka. Societal
contributed a fair portion for the countrys economy. In security emphasized the cordial relations with the social
that case, Northern Province plays a significant role and groups of the society. This particular issue expresses a
contributes a considerable portion of fish production to threat to the sector of societal security especially to the
the country. Due to the illegal fishing issue between Sri people in Northern Province. In this particular issue,
Lanka and India, there is a considerable impact on the societal security concept can not apply uniformly for all
Northern Province fishermen as well as on their citizens of the country. The special group which directly
economy. This attempt is to find out how the issue has affected by the illegal fishing conflict is the people of
affected and is still taking effect on these people as well Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Therefore, it is important
as on the economic prospects of Sri Lanka. According to to evaluate to what extent this issue has affected the
former Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Dr. societal security of the fishermen in Northern Province of
Rajitha Senaratne, the Government has targeted US$ 500 Sri Lanka. For three days per week and during ten months
million in revenue for 2013, but has had to keep its of the year Sri Lankan fishermen in North Province were
expectations low due to the significant losses from confronted by their counterpart Indian trawlers and
poaching. Sri Lanka Seafood Exporters Association fiberglass boats in the Palk Bay and who always have
President Roshan Fernando has stated that the loss been assertive in their fishing rights. Often those trawlers
caused by the poaching of Indians has been estimated to entered into the Sri Lankan waters by nightfall, haul their
be over US$ 750 million annually (Hettiarachchi, 2007). nets over the seabed and leave unchallenged before
Approximately 900 boats, both mechanized and non- dawn, with hauls of fish -succulent prawns and pricy sea
mechanized operate from Rameshwaram on alternate cucumber (Wijedasa, 2013). Due to the competition over
days in Sri Lankan waters and per boat their prawn catch the resources in Sri Lankan waters, there is regular
is 35 56 kg (kilograms) while fish catch is 120 kg. In India confrontation between the Sri Lankan fishermens group
roughly there are more than 5000 trawlers - and Indian fishermens group. It reveals that, illegal
approximately 5300- and out of these, nearly 2500 fishing issue has brought the two groups of fishermen
trawlers highly depend on the fish resources of Sri Lankan which became a threat to the societal security sector in
waters. In 2008 there were 29772 Indian fishermen who Sri Lanka. Due to these reasons Sri Lankan fishermen
engaged in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters. According keep away on such days which the Indian fishermen
to available data, in a day catch per boat weighs : the poach in the Sri Lankan fishing grounds, because their
shrimps from 35 kg to 56 kg, with a mean of 45.5 kg and boats, engines and nets are damaged by the large Indian
by catch 80 to 120 kg with a mean of 100 kg. As it vessels. Indian fishermen cut the nets of Sri Lankan
calculated, the annual catch of shrimps by the number of fishermen and use their ones. And also Sri Lankan
poaching boats in Sri Lankan waters can be shown as fishermen claimed that, by dragging iron bars along the
1,557,783.5 kg (45.5 x 34237) which is of 1557.7 metric seabed, poachers destroy everything including coral reefs
tonnes of shrimps and this is the annual fleet catch of and seaweeds. Due to the risk of losing their nets, Sri
shrimps lost to Sri Lanka due to poaching of Indian Lankan fishermen do not venture to fish in the troubled
fishermen. The minimum price of prawns in market had waters during the nights which they assume that Indian
been identified as Sri Lankan Rs.600.00 per kg and by trawlers on the prowl. And Sri Lankan fishermen are
catch as SL Rs. 100.00 per kg. The by catch scenario familiar with Indians whereabouts and either they take
would be much devastating with a mean of 100 kgs per the considerable risk to venture out to sea for fishing or
boat, fishing effort of by catch comes to the total of stay together at home to keep their nets safe. The loss of
3,423,700 Kgs (100 x 34237) which is 3423.7 metric fishing days for Sri Lankan fishermen means their
tonnes. Estimated total annual revenue lost due to the economy goes down. When the economy goes down, the

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socio-economic living standards of their families also marine eco system of Sri Lanka. Bottom-trawls are
become lower. They may endure many economic designed to dig in to the top foot or so of the sea-bed and
hardships just to survive. On the 16th of February 2011, dredge up everything therein. In this method two heavy
the fishermen of Point Pedro which is a fishing town in metal panels are fixed at both sides of the mouth of the
Northern Sri Lanka gathered to take action against Indian Bottom Trawling net to make sure that it remains at the
or Tamil Nadu fishermen whom they called as robbers of bottom of the sea floor. In addition to altering seafloor
our house. And also because of the hatred which was habitats, bottom trawling also results in huge amounts of
boiling in the minds of the Sri Lankan Fishermen, by using by catch - unwanted fish and marine life discarded
the small scale fishing crafts they captured 18 Indian because they are of the wrong size, sex or species. Dr.
trawlers and 112 crew members from Nagapattinam, Terney pointed out that Sea Cucumbers and Pearl
who were fishing in-shore of Sri Lankan waters. Oysters are also the targets of bottom trawling. And also
Accordingly, there were several clashes between these he stated that the seas around Mannar and Palk Bay are
two groups and these illegal acts by the Indian fishermen famous for Pearl Oysters and Sri Lanka could lose the
have posed a serious threat to the societal security of economic benefit of these resources because of the
Northern Province fishermen. encroaching Indian fishermen (Rodrigo, 2011). The Palk
Bay and the Gulf of Mannar record one of the richest
5) Environmental Sector - Indian trawlers illegally enter Biological Diversities in the Indian Ocean which includes
into the Sri Lankan waters and tried to catch huge fish 20% of Indian Ocean creatures. The Palk Bay, located
stocks by using destructive fishing methods which ruined between the Bay of Bengal and the Gulf of Mannar is
the fragile relationship between nature and man. Marine home to 580 fish species, 733 molluscs, 651 crustaceans
experts in Sri Lanka have stated that Indian fishermens and 128 species of stony corals (Rodrigo, 2011).
poaching and bottom trawling have been permanently Zoologists claim that the Gulf of Mannar is home to over
destroying seabed environment (David, 2013). Further 3,600 species. The five endangered marine turtles also
they have warned that, bottom trawling and poaching by inhabit this area and can get entangled in these nets
Indian fishermen is ruining the marine life off the easily while feeding on the sea grasses at the bottom.
northern coast of Sri Lanka and they predict that the Accordingly waste fish percentage is considerably high
region may soon be barren if these activities continue. It in this method. Some parts of the yield goes unused and
reveals that, through the use of destructive fishing another part is damaged.
method of Indian fishermen Sri Lanka will suffer damage
of a mass scale in future, which will be affecting the

Table. 1 Evaluation of impact of Illegal fishing issue

Scaleof Impact Strongly Disagree Neither agree Agree Strongly

Military sector 3 13 0 24 10

Political sector 0 2 1 15 32

Economic sector 2 5 8 10 25

Societal sector 8 10 6 14 13

Environmental sector 0 3 0 20 27

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According to the Mr. Nishan Perera, the estimated figures international law. In addition to that, it needs to be
show that 40-50 percent of the Indian fishermens catch mentioned that Sri Lankan fishermen are also committing
through bottom trawling is thrown back - mostly dead- to the same crime in Indian territorial waters . In this
the sea. As overall, bottom trawls damage and destroy context, the paper is only focused on the point of view of
the sand banks, rocky outcrops and patches of coral reef. Sri Lanka regarding this issue. Even after enacting the
All these marine habitats are really crucial to overall maritime boundary agreement between Sri Lanka and
function of the marine eco system. As per details, illegal India, this issue has taken place continuously till the
methods used by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters, present day. Even though the both countries have taken
have almost destroyed the seabed which has made a several initiatives to control these acts, still they could
detrimental impact on the environmental security of Sri not find a long term solution to prevent this entirely. As
Lanka. the threat to the national security of Sri Lanka escalates,
the government officials need to be much more cohesive
The above table (1) shows the evaluation of the impact of and responsible regarding this issue. As a
illegal fishing issue on Sri Lanka in accordance with the recommendation for this particular matter, a collectively
five levels of security sectors as per the primary data. organized mechanism with the equal cooperation & frank
dialogue of both countries would be highly effective in
According to the table above, as per the primary data, it future to prevent this act.
reveals that among the five levels of security sectors,
political and environmental security sectors have been REFERENCES
highly affected rather than other sectors. As per the Hettiarachchi A. (2007) Fisheries in the Palk Bay Region:
table, 32 respondents have agreed that from the illegal The Indian Factor,Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic
fishing issue, political security sector of Sri Lanka was Resources. Maligawatta Secretariat, Colombo 0100, 11-
severely eroded and on the other hand 27 respondents 12.
have agreed that environmental security sector also has
been highly affected. Compared with others sectors, Kurukulasuriya, L. (2012) Poaching in troubled Sri Lankan
political and environmental aspects are the mostly waters, The Sunday times, 08.November 2012.
affected security sectors by illegal fishing issue in Sri Magdalena, M. A.K. (2010) Illegal, Unreported and
Lanka. Unregulated Fishing in the Circumpolar Arctic,InfoNorth,
Available from:
IV.RESULTS http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic63-3-373.pdf,
Based on primary and secondary data, findings of the 21-25.
study can be expressed as the illegal fishing committed
by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters has identified as Moses, Kumar. (2011) Tamil Nadu Illegal Fishermen in
a non-traditional threat to the security of Sri Lanka. At Lankan Waters Could be Poaching 95,000MT Fish Valued
the same time according to the Barry Buzans five levels Over US$750 Million Annually,Lanka Web, 26 August
of security sectors, it has identified that this particular 2011. Available from:
issue has a considerable impact on political and http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/08/26/tam
environmental security sectors. Throughout the literature il-nadu-illegal-fishermen-in-lankan-waters-could-be-
review relevant to this issue, the reasons for crossing the poaching-95000mt-fish-valued-over-us750-million-
boarders to each group are as due to the lack of Global annually/.
Positioning System (GPS) in mechanized boats and a
chain of Automatic Identification System (AIS) stations Wijedasa, Namini. (2013) Aggressive Poaching by Indian
along the Tamil Nadu coast have been found out. fishing Trawler Fleets in Sri Lankan Waters Drastically
Meanwhile the inability to control this issue is identified Affects Livelihood of 100,000 Northern Fisherfolk,Sunday
as the poor cooperation of the both countries Leader,2 February 2013.
collectively.
Rodrigo, Malaka. (2011) Poaching Indian fishermen: Not
V.CONCLUSION just political ripples but conservation too,The Sunday
According to the study, illegal fishing by Indian fishermen Times, 24 April 2011.
in Sri Lankan territorial waters is rated as a crime under

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David, A. (2013)Fisheries DG says Tamil Nadu and EU Economics, University of kelaniya. She is having a First
playing politics,Sunday Observer, 20 September 2013. Class Honors Degree in International Studies and
following a post graduate diploma in International
BIOGRAPHY OF AUTHOR Relations at the Bandaranaike Center for International
Studies. Her research interested areas are foreign policy,
Shashikala Aloka Kumari Madanayaka national security and non-traditional security threats.
is currently working as an assistant
lecturer in International Studies
attached to the department of

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