Historical economic and environmental factors create a complex situation that drives the India-Sri Lanka fisheries conflict between these two nations. The on-going maritime conflict receives its strongest impulse from climate change effects that simultaneously affect both marine biology and the local fishing activities of Palk Bay residents. This Article details the environment and community impact of climate change factors on the India-Sri Lanka fisheries dispute.
The Palk Bay Ecosystem
The Palk Bay forms a vital fishing ground that supports both Indian and Sri Lankan fishing communities who have depended on it throughout many generations. Commercially valuable fish species populate the bay alongside its diverse marine life since they sustain the local fishermen. The Palk Bay ecosystem faces danger because fishermen over explore the area while contaminating it and climate change influence its condition.
Impact of Climate Change on Marine Ecosystems
Ocean temperatures keep rising due to climate change thus causing major alterations to marine ecosystems. Continued heating of ocean water causes alterations to fish breeding and migration paths and triggers a reduction in fish species populations. The process of ocean acidification caused by climate change negatively impacts marine organisms' growth and survival patterns while continuing to reduce fish populations.
Overfishing and Destructive Practices
During bottom trawling operations and other destructive fishing methods released by traditional fishing practices have produced an overfishing situation in Palk Bay. Bottom trawling operations with their heavy nets do more than capture fish since they simultaneously damage marine habitats and break the overall health of marine ecosystems. Indian fishermen and Sri Lankan fishermen have intensifying conflicts because both groups continue to deplete fish resources in the area.
Escalating Conflict and Environmental Degradation
Above all the environmental pressures on Palk Bay exist because of overfishing combined with pollution and changing climate. Escalating ocean temperatures together with falling fish numbers have triggered an upsurge in resource competition which results in growing confrontations between Indian fishermen and Sri Lankan fishermen. Indications of marine conflict endanger people's earnings in this region through the development of harmful fishing techniques which harm the environment when fishermen attempt to catch fish.
The Role of Climate Change in Conflict
Fisheries conflicts between India and Sri Lanka in Palk Bay exist as a complex issue formed by historic, financial and environmental elements. The conflict intensifies mainly because of climate change's rapid development. The diminishing fisheries resources caused by climate change effects intensified competition between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen which has escalated their maritime conflicts.
Impact on Marine Ecosystems
Ocean temperatures are increasing because of climate change which strongly affects marine ecosystems throughout the world. Warmer ocean temperatures cause fish species to lose critical breeding patterns along with disrupted feeding and migration behaviors thus leading to lower fish populations. Both India and Sri Lanka experience a direct negative impact on fishing communities since fish stocks have dropped due to decreased availability of fish.
The process of ocean acidification caused by climate change negatively impacts fish survival and growth together with other marine organisms. Higher ocean acidification harms the marine food chain structure which diminishes fish populations. In the process the coral reefs too suffers because of this and due to which they lose their natural habitat.
Overfishing and resource depletion
The Palk Bay area is particularly affected with climate change causing a decline in fish and overfishing is rampant. Fisherman are being forced out of their declining hauls and forced to work more aggressive and methods to put food on the table. Practices like bottom trawling not only further deplete fish stocks but destroy marine habitat, making recovery of fish populations even more difficult. Both Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen compete for access to already low fish stocks, intensifying the on-going fish depletion. Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters for a long time and Sri Lankan fishermen complaining about their farmers being forced out and having to take catch.
Socio-Economic Implications
Climate change has a profound socio-economic impact on fishing communities. With fish stocks haplessly dwindling, fishermen are left with lower incomes and financial uncertainty. Many are giving up traditional fishing and moving into other livelihoods that may or may not be easy to find. Services that fish provide are being increasingly reduced, causing loss of livelihoods that lead to social unrest and worsen existing socio-economic gaps.
Palk Bay
Palk Bay is the one between India's south-eastern coast and northern Sri Lanka. It stretches for approximately 135 kilometres in length and about 64 to 137 kilometres in width. Palk Bay is a part of the Gulf of Mannar, which makes this semi-enclosed sea an important geographic and economic connect between the two adjacent nations. The bay has got its name from Robert Palk, an 18th-century governor of the Madras Presidency.
Geographical Significance
Palk Bay has very shallow water, the average depth being about 9 to 13 meters. The shallowness provides an excellent habitat for a wide variety of marine organisms, especially fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and coral reefs. The Indian state of Tamil Nadu borders the bay to the north while Sri Lanka's Northern Province lies to the south. Pamban Island, also called Rameswaram Island, borders Palk Bay on the Indian side; this island is interlinked with the Indian mainland through the historic Pamban Bridge.
Ecological Importance
Because of its rich biodiversity the place presents its ecological importance. The bay is home to many species of fish, including sardines, mackerels, and prawns, making it an important fishing ground for numerous local communities. The bay provides the habitat to many marine species through its reefs and sea grasses maintaining the overall health of the ecosystem. One of the most important ecological features of Palk Bay is Rama's Bridge or Ram Setu. This natural continuum of limestone shoals spans Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu, India, to Mannar Island in Sri Lanka. The bridge holds great importance from geological, ecological, and cultural perspectives and has been mentioned in several ancient Indian texts and folklore.
Socio-Economic Importance
Palk Bay is significant in the livelihoods of coastal communities in India and Sri Lanka. There, fishing forms the primary occupation of several families, and the waters of the bay provide ample fish and other marine resources regularly. Fishers here works in two ways first it provides food to people around it and second it’s a source of income for many families and contributes in the economy of the place. However, the socio-economic conditions of Palk Bay are not unaffected by the fisheries dispute between India and Sri Lanka. Overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and competition for diminishing resources have generated tensions between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen.
Challenges and Conservation efforts
The socio-economic and ecological importance of Palk Bay demands for a conservation efforts and management through the sustainable means. Problems like over fishing and pollution with the climate change as its major factor thrives as a major challenge. It is not problem of local fisherman alone it’s a problem for both the nations as well as international community so it need collaboration from different stakeholders and solutions in the form of sustainable fishing practices.
Background of India-Sri Lanka Fishing Conflict
The conflict between the two nations is complex and longstanding that goes around the Palk Bay, a narrow strip between the southern part of Tamil Nadu state of India and Sri Lanka. This region is known for its historic sites and fishing grounds for both the Lankans and Indians. With the time changes happened and conflicts took place between the two because of its resource richness, environmental challenges and the territorial disputes.
In 1970 a maritime boundary agreement was signed between the two nations, which is considered as the fire to this whole conflict. This agreement specified the boundary between the two nations and established a clear demarcation between two. But the problem came up with this step, because the traditional fishing practices doesn’t had any boundaries fisherman used to do their business across the boundaries and now with the maritime boundary they were not allowed to cross the line but for their livelihood they sometimes go cross border and due to which tension aroused between the two nations.
Also there are legal and Jurisdiction problem between the two nations which are complex. Because of the rich resources of the bay Indian fisherman often crosses the International Maritime Boundary Line which leads to their arrests by the Lankan Naval forces. Government of India has many times requested for the release of fishing boats and the fisherman on the humanitarian ground but Lankan’s based on protecting their territory are not convinced to release them.
In recent times many diplomatic efforts has been made by the governments to resolve the issue between the two. They have gone through many diplomatic channels, bilateral talks and bilateral talk group has been established to find the solution to this dispute. Sustainable Fishing Practices, diversion towards other alternatives, and enhancing skill in the other activities are some of the steps initiated from both the sides to mitigate the solution for the on-going conflicts.
Way forward to address the Conflict
This is problem that needs a multidimensional efforts to be get resolved. The India-Sri Lanka conflicts is an age old problem that came from the 1970, International Maritime Boundary Line. Therefore to address this problem multi-faceted approach is needed.
Promoting Sustainable Fishing
One of the prominent solutions to this conflict is the sustainable fishing practice. The destructive practice of fishing and the overfishing cause the depletion in the population of fish and that ultimately leads to depletion. Some time while catching big fishes small fishes gets trapped in it too so to avoid these kinds of incidents a monitoring system can help to overcome this. Also implementation of the seasonal fishing can boost the fish population. Creation awareness among the fisherman and educating them about the sustainable practices can help encouragement in the environment friendly practices.
Enhancing Bilateral cooperation
Fostering the strong bilateral relation by the means of talks on different forums can prove crucial. Bilateral talks and constituting a body consisting of personals from both nations can work effectively on the matter with considering the points of both the nations. The efforts should be made in sharing data, establishing mechanism for the conflict resolution and funding the research and development. These efforts can result into an mutual fishing agreement that benefits the both.
Alternate livelihood practices
Providing the communities the alternate options can help reduce overfishing. Ocean tourism and activities can help in improving the situation. Providing the skill training and education in non-fishing options can prove useful. Governments, non-government organization and institutions can provide assistance in providing skill training and enhancement. By diversifying the source of income these communities can achieve the economic stability and reduce dependency on fishing.
Measure for Climate Change
Climate Change is a significant factor that is contributing to the conflict in the Palk bay. It is demanding an immediate solution. Because of the climatic factors like global warming and coral bleaching the species are reducing in number and shifting away from the coastal areas which is ultimately causing the fisherman to move far away from the coasts and they end up crossing the IMBL. Therefore the protection measures like the construction of sea-grasses, mangrove restoration, and measures to reduce coral bleaching can safeguard the coastal areas. Reducing the GHG and promoting sustainable fishing practices can work in a long run and help in improving the marine ecosystem.