Cost and resolution of fishing disputes between India and Sri Lanka

What is it about?

Poaching activities in the territorial waters off the coast of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka by the fishing communities from the state of Tamil Nadu in India, especially in the wake of the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009,have seriously strained the historic kinship,as also the bilateral international relations between Sri Lanka and India. The objectives of this policy paper are to first, make an informed assessment of the magnitude of these fishing disputes that occur between Sri Lanka and India in terms of both monetary, and livelihood losses incurred by Sri Lanka and the people who are directly affected by the same; and second, to explore scientific or technical solutions to this long-running dispute to counter the ineffectiveness of law enforcement and the presumed absence of political solutions.

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Why is it important?

Secondary data and knowledge, targeted primarily at the policy communities both in Sri Lanka and India, form the base of this policy paper. The discussion is also targeted at the fishing communities involved in this dispute in order to sensitise them to the alternative dispute resolution mechanisms available, with the specific focus on the scientific and technical solutions that are already available.