Central Idea

• The neglect of the fishing industry by India and Sri Lanka has resulted in an ongoing dispute over fishing rights in the Palk Strait. Developing the fishing industry could help resolve the conflict and boost the economies of both countries.

What is Blue Economy?

• Origin of the concept: Gunter Pauli’s book, “The Blue Economy: 10 years, 100 innovations, 100 million jobs” (2010) brought the Blue Economy concept into prominence.
• A project to find best nature inspired and sustainable technologies: Blue Economy began as a project to find 100 of the best nature-inspired technologies that could affect the economies of the world. While sustainably providing basic human needs potable water, food, jobs, and habitable shelter.
• Inclusive approach and objective: This is envisaged as the integration of Ocean Economy development with the principles of social inclusion, environmental sustainability and innovative, dynamic business models
• Environment friendly maritime infrastructure: It is creation of environment-friendly infrastructure in ocean, because larger cargo consignments can move directly from the mothership to the hinterland through inland waterways, obviating the need for trucks or railways

Indo-Sri Lankan dispute over fishing rights in Palk Strait

• Maritime boundary agreement: The maritime boundary agreements signed in 1974 and 1976 allowed fishermen of both nations to fish in each other’s waters as they traditionally did.
• Absence of physical demarcation: Lack of physical demarcation of maritime boundaries resulted in Indian fishermen encroaching into Sri Lankan waters during the civil war.
• Rising conflicts: The Sri Lankan fishing community sought to reclaim their rights after the end of hostilities, leading to conflict with Indian fishers. Sri Lankan Navy’s intervention has resulted in arrests and even fatal shootings of Indian fishermen.

Neglect of the fishing industry by India and Sri Lanka

• India’s marine fishery: India’s marine fishery has been dominated by the artisanal sector, which can afford only small sailboats or canoes to fish for subsistence.
• Lack of investment: India’s fisheries are being transformed into a commercial enterprise, but lack of investment in a deepwater fleet results in most fishing taking place in coastal waters, leading to competition with neighboring countries.
• Underexploited resources: Rich resources in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone remain underexploited, with much of the catch from India’s fishing grounds taken away by better-equipped fishing fleets of other Indo-Pacific countries indulging in illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing.
• Growing tensions: Neglect of the fishing industry has resulted in dwindling fish stocks, rising fuel costs, and growing tensions between India and Sri Lanka.

Development of the fishing industry

• China: China has mobilized its fishing industry to meet rising demand for protein in the Chinese diet and is now a fishery superpower.
• India: India needs to invest in a deepwater fleet to exploit rich fishing grounds in its Exclusive Economic Zone and compete with other countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
• India must focus on modernisation: India should focus on mechanization and modernization of fishing vessels, developing deep-water fishing fleets, building a DWF fleet around the mother ship concept, and developing modern fishing harbours.

PM Matsya Sampada Yojana

• PM Matsya Sampada Yojana is a scheme launched by the Government of India in 2020, with the aim of boosting the fisheries sector in the country. The scheme has a total outlay of Rs. 20,050 crores and is implemented over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25. The scheme is focused on four key areas of intervention, which include:

1. Development of infrastructure and modernization of the fisheries sector: This involves the creation of new fishing harbours, fish landing centres, cold chain facilities, and other related infrastructure.
2. Fisheries management and regulatory framework: This involves strengthening the regulatory framework for fisheries and aquaculture, promoting sustainable fishing practices, and conserving marine biodiversity.
3. Fisheries post-harvest operations and value chain: This involves promoting the processing and value addition of fish and fishery products, and improving market access for fishermen and fish farmers.
4. Aquaculture development: This involves promoting the development of inland fisheries and aquaculture, including the creation of new fish farms, and supporting the adoption of modern technologies for fish farming.

Conclusion

• Neglect of the fishing industry by India and Sri Lanka has resulted in an ongoing dispute over fishing rights in the Palk Strait. Developing the fishing industry could help resolve the conflict and boost the economies of both countries. The government’s Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana could be used to form an Indo-Sri Lankan Fishing Corporation to provide a huge boost to the fishing industries of both nations and remove an unwanted irritant in bilateral relations.

Mains Question

Q. It is said that fishing industry has been overly neglected by India and Sri Lanka. Development of the fishing industry is crucial to boost the economy for both the countries. Discuss.

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