t is a national crime by any standard.

Over the years of LTTE activity, South Indian illegal fishermen entered Lankan waters and illegally fished. It went on for over 20 years during which time Tamil Nadu fish production kept going up leaps and bounds. After the decimation of the LTTE, Lankan fishermen started to fish freely in their own national waters only to find swarms of illegal South Indian fishermen exploiting the waters belonging to Sri Lanka. Illegal fishing problem reached international levels when Tamil Nadu fishermen alleged they were attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy a charge denied by Sri Lanka. There cannot be any compromise on what belongs to Sri Lanka. A just resolution is needed. The size and worth of the loot is truly shocking

According to Sri Lanka`s Defence Secretary, on average 1,400 illegal boats, almost entirely fishing boats, enter Sri Lankan waters everyday. http://www.news360.lk/economy/1400-foreign-boats-enter-lanka-per-day-gotabhaya According to a research paper published by Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute of India, total marine fish production of Tamil Nadu in 1985-86 was 245,000 MT. Close to 70% of came from mechanized fishing boats. The number of mechanized fishing boats during that year was 2,502. Annual catch per mechanized fishing boat was 69MT of fish. Daily catch on average calculates to 188kg which is reasonable for a small mechanized fishing boat. It need not be a fishing trawler to catch 188kg a day. http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/3099/1/Article_10.pdf Over the last 25 years, average catch per boat has surely increased. However, assuming the numbers have stayed same, a conservative estimate of the plunder can be calculated. On average 1,400 boats a day would catch 263,200kg of fish. Annually it is over 96,000MT. Assuming an average price of 935 rupees for a kilo of fish in general and an exchange rate of 120 rupees a US dollar, the total worth of 96,000MT of fish is US$749 million. In other words more than 1.5% of the GDP of the nation is plundered by illegal South Indian fishermen. True account of the crime may be different since averages are used. However, it would be reasonably close to these estimates calculated using authoritative sources in both Sri Lanka and India. What it means for Tamil Nadu

Illegally profiting annually to the value of US$749 million is big business by any standard. Hundreds of thousands of people depend on this massive economic activity. Now their regular and customary act of poaching is under the spotlight and under threat from legal fisheries activities by Sri Lankans.

It is no secret the LTTE was financed and protected by politicians and other interested parties in Tamil Nadu along with the Tamil Diaspora. However, their tacit agreement was far deeper and sinister than their superficial dealings. LTTE disruptions in northern seas terrorised local fishermen from going to sea for over 20 years. It was a bonus for Tamil Nadu fishermen as they were the sole beneficiaries of the vast marine resource. Families and communities got used to this easy way of life of robbing Lankan resources. But after 2009 things changed to the worse for Tamil Nadu illegal poachers. In addition, Tamil Nadu criminals benefited from selling diesel, medicines, drugs and various other banned goods to Tamil Tigers during the war. Easily it was a multimillion rupee industry. That too suddenly evaporated plunging entire families and communities in Tamil Nadu back to poverty. Real reason behind their sudden interest in the sea stretch is based on these developments. Modern day invasion of Sri Lanka that went underreported

Historically the nation withstood foreign invasions mostly from South India. However, a modern day invasion took place just a few weeks ago when unruly Tamil Nadu invaders, instigated by Tamil racist expansionist craze invaded Lanka. Rowdy mobs landed in the Kachchatheevu island and tried to hoist Indian and Tamil flags. They timed it to coincide with India`s Independence Day. Thankfully the Sri Lankan Navy intervened and apprehended the culprits. Situated between Delft and Mannar islets, Kachchateevu is an important landmark that marks the boundary of Sri Lanka. It is also important for fishing. With increased awareness of possible oil resources in the region, South Indian elements have got into a state of madness. If they succeed in making their invasion permanent, it will have huge economic and defence ramifications for the island nation. Exploiting racism on either side of the sea to rob the island

Tamil Nadu politicians have hatched a shrewd plan to snatch the islet from Lanka. They are riding on rampant Tamil racism on both sides of the Polk Strait. A huge cry was made over nonexistent war crimes and Tamil grievances blaming Sri Lanka of not honouring equal rights to Tamils. It had wide support in Tamil Nadu and among Tamil race centred political parties of Sri Lanka. Over 65% of Tamils in the north are unshakable voters of Tamil race centred politics. However, on the other hand, they are the beneficiaries of the fisheries resource in the northern seas. Sadly they value Tamil racist politics more than development, economic prosperity and ethnic integration. Knowing this very well, Tamil Nadu politicians fooled them with pretended concern for fake war crimes and fake Tamil aspirations. While northern Tamils were fooled by these racist demands, Tamil Nadu politicians moved into the snatch Kachchatheevu. Strangely no Tamil organised protests were seen against this attempt despite the fact that Tamils

in the north would be the biggest and only economic losers if Tamil Nadu snatches the islet! They were and still are mesmerized by Tamil Nadu race politics against Sri Lanka. Tamils in the north must stand up and tell Tamil Nadu pretenders if they truly love Tamils in Sri Lanka, they should not rob their fishing resources and land. However, no one came forward to say so. Ultimately the Defence Secretary challenged Tamil Nadu pretenders and invaders to show some respect for the economic resources and land primarily used by Sri Lankan Tamils. This should teach local Tamils who their true friends are and who are trying to use them as pawns for external agendas. If Tamil Nadu had its way, northern Tamils would be unable to fish in waters they traditionally fished. Meanwhile relatives and friends of three Tamil Tiger terrorists in custody over Rajiv assassination pressured the Tamil Nadu government to save the trio from death penalty. Tamil Nadu politicians are tactfully avoiding these demands. Silent support by the Indian government?

What were Indian government agencies including the coastguard doing until hundreds of South Indian intruders invaded a neighbouring nation or when thousands intrude into a neighbouring country everyday? Absolutely nothing. Omission on their part raises some valid questions about how genuine India wants to safeguard Sri Lanka`s security at the very least when threats to Lankan security come from Indian sections. Unfortunately the Indian government response is similar to its conduct during war time. During the war, repeated calls to India to patrol the Palk Strait and stop illegal activities by Indians fell on deaf ears. Sri Lanka had to manage it all by itself. North-western coast was a prominent weapons and cadres transit point. Shallow sea made it difficult for Dvora FACs and other attack crafts to manoeuvre. Navy lost a few valuable boats trying to handle the threat posed by Indian poachers. A number of radar facilities were attacked and equipments were stolen by Tigers. Only after the complete clearance of the entire north-western coast by the army did clandestine LTTE activities in the Palk Strait stopped. Clearly India didn`t extend its support to our attempts to rid Tamil Tigers in this area. Relying further on Indian promises to safeguard the Palk Strait is unwise. India has gone back on all its promises while Sri Lanka faithfully adhered to its share of responsibility. The 1974 Kachchatheevu agreement was part of a wide understanding with India under which Sri Lanka granted citizenship to hundreds of thousands of Indian Tamils (as they were called then). The solution

It is na ve to think that avoidance and ignorance is a solution. Actually it is part of the problem costing the nation dearly. When all this plunder of the marine fisheries resource happens, malnutrition is steadily climbing in Sri Lanka. Lankans should be ashamed to record very

alarming levels of protein deficiency when their nation is surrounded by the sea! Resolution of this problem is threefold deterring illegal Indian poachers, utilizing the marine fisheries resource to the maximum and defeating the Tamil expansionist agenda of both Tamil Nadu and northern Sri Lanka. Creating new multiethnic fishing communities in the north equipped with mechanized fishing boats and trawlers is the crux of the solution. They should be provided with security by the Sri Lanka navy when under threat from illegal poachers. Adequate fishing in Sri Lankan waters by own fishermen would not leave economically profitable quantities of fish to illegal Indian fishermen given the risk of hostility. Sri Lankan waters are easily accessible from Sri Lanka than from India. Ethnicity of Sri Lankan fishermen making use of this resource also matters. Main reason for this problem to escalate to this level is due to Tamil fishermen on both sides cooperating on the plunder. Marine fisheries resource belongs to all Sri Lankans irrespective of race but not to Tamil Nadu poachers. Aggressive fishing practices must be adopted by local fishing trawlers within Sri Lankan waters. It is also a good idea to set up a fishing unit attached to security forces or sponsored by the government. It can fulfill the demand for fish of over 200,000 me... Fisheries have emerged as an important economic activity that makes a substantial contribution to nutritional needs, employment generation and foreign exchange earnings in India. In recent times, fisheries have grown into a mega-industry providing employment to hundreds of thousands. It brings in a million tonnes of fish annually. Fleets of mechanised boats and motorised country craft are deployed. The growth is largely due to technological innovations in the marine fisheries sector. Nevertheless, the use of modern technology has raised critical issues. One aspect is the impact of the intensive use of trawlers and other sophisticated fishing gadgets. It should be examined whether the level of introduction of mechanised fishing vessels matches the resources available. Other issues include the intrusion of foreign trawlers into India's exclusive economic zone. Poaching adds to the pressures on marine resources. The Indian fisheries sector should pressure the authorities to see that fishery reserves are not thrown open for indiscriminate exploitation by outsiders. Primarily it is the state's duty to protect marine resources by effective patrolling by the Coast Guard. A fishing fleet to conserve valuable marine wealth could be formed. Indiscriminate trawling by Indian vessels along with intruding foreign vessels, the absence of regulations regarding the size of the craft, gear and engine, have spawned formidable problems, ecological and otherwise. Research has pointed to a need to regulate fishing. Over-exploitation could spell doom in the long run. A moratorium may be imposed on the construction and replacement of mechanised vessels to stop over-exploitation. There is a need to make periodic estimates on the status of fishery resources and deploy fishing efforts accordingly. Such a marine audit would help ensure the sustainable development of resources.

Fishing is central to the livelihood and food security of 200 million people, especially in the developing world. One in five people on this planet depend on fish as the primary source of protein. Its depletion will pose a threat to food supply. Statistics reveal that global marine fish stocks are in jeopardy, under pressure from over-fishing and environmental degradation. What is the solution? Experts believe that the establishment of Marine Protection Agencies (MPAs) may hold the key to conserving and boosting fish stocks. Yet, less than 1 per cent of the oceans and seas are covered by MPAs. Viewed from another angle, the rapid growth in demand for fish and fish products is leading to the price of fish soaring faster than that of meat. Investment in fisheries has become attractive to entrepreneurs and governments. This has led to a drastic fall in commercial fish population as a sequel to over-exploitation. The situation calls for quick measures. Some experts recommend zero catches' to allow for regeneration. One study projects the global collapse of all species currently fished by mid-21st century. More than 75 per cent of world stocks have been fully exploited, and this calls for a revolutionary change in the management of fishing resources. There will be total collapse of fisheries by 2050 if no action is taken to halt over-fishing. At the current rate of fishing there is a clear and present danger of stocks declining to an extent that would render commercial fishing impossible. Global warming and climate change pose threats to fisheries. As carbon dioxide levels rise, the oceans become more acidic, rendering the water inhospitable to marine species. The impact of temperature changes on marine species can be dramatic from the standpoint of reproduction and survival. Temperature is a major factor in the occurrence of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) which impact areas used by the shell fish industry. Temperature changes result in species abandoning an area and moving beyond the range of fishery, hitting the industry and not the species as such. Therefore, we should have systems to monitor any marine activity that might have a negative impact either on the species or the industry. Another likely fallout of global warming and climate change is an increase in the variability of environmental conditions. Long-term variations and fluctuations in the marine environment call for adaptability. Sustainable economic levels of fishing capacity should be determined with a focus on the variability of environmental conditions. One hindrance to sustainable fishing is pervasive, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). It works against those fishers who act responsibly, honestly and in accordance with the terms of fishing regulations. IUU fishing needs to be curbed. If fishers are given a free hand to target vulnerable stocks that are subject to management control and moratoria, efforts to rebuild stocks to healthy levels will turn futile. Oil spills and oil wastes approximately 706 million gallons of oil reach the oceans every year constitute a threat to marine life and fisheries, harming the deep ocean and coastal fishing and

fisheries. The immediate effect of toxic oil waste may be mass mortality and contamination of fish and other food species, but the long-term ecological effects may be worse. Toxic oil waste poisons and damages sensitive marine and coastal substrata, interrupting the food chain on which fish and sea creatures depend and on which their reproductive success is based. Also, commercial fishing may be profoundly affected. Discharge of effluents into inland waters which eventually carry them to the oceans constitute a grave threat. Acute and chronic fish mortalities in rivers and fisheries are frequently produced by toxic pollutants in industrial effluents and agricultural wastes. The increasing pollution load and over-exploitation of water resources for drinking purposes, irrigation, industrial and thermal power plants to meet the requirements of the growing population significantly reduces their assimilative capacity. This stress on the water course is ultimately faced by the biological species inhabiting them. Aquatic life faces severe oxygen shortage due to bacterial decomposition of untreated sewage; high turbidity restricts the penetration of sunlight in the deeper layers affecting photosynthesis. Anaerobic decomposition of algal blooms leads to generation of toxic substances. The end result is excessive growth of phytoplankton due to increase in turbidity, depletion of dissolved oxygen and consequent suffocation of fish and molluscs. In aquaculture, agricultural farms were converted into commercial aquaculture on a large scale. They utilised enormous quantities of sea water pumped through pipelines from the sea. The impact was painful and horrifying: it led to the salinisation of a large extent of groundwater, pollution of ponds and other water sources, destruction of landgroves and so on. Abandoned shrimp farms and ponds remained virtually unusable. The Supreme Court in Jagannath Vs UOI (1997) 2 SCC considered the question of whether the aquaculture industry is an industry that needs coastal facilities. Under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification, any industry that needs foreshore facilities is exempted from the prohibition. The aquaculture industry needs brackish water. The Supreme Court said this fact by itself was no justification to locate the industry on the foreshore. The court said brackish water can be brought from the sea by pipes and therefore the aquaculture industry needs no foreshore facilities. The court, while disposing of the case, referred to the Polluter Pays principle. This means that liability for any harm caused to the environment extends not only to the victims of pollution but also to meeting the cost of restoration. The Central government has given shape to Marine Fisheries Management Bill. The Bill has come under criticism on the ground that it transgresses the constitutional rights of the States relating to fisheries. The core of the objection is that Fisheries' is a State subject under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution (State List), and the Maritime Zones of India Act of 1976 provides that the territorial seas extending up to a distance of 12 nautical miles from the coast are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the State concerned. Therefore, the provisions of the Bill authorising the Union government to exercise jurisdiction over fishing activities in the territory legally under the domain of the State cannot be legally sustained. Advancement in science and technology can be a boon or a bane. It will be a bane the moment we become slaves to technology. We are depleting scarce resources with the help of advanced technology, forgetting that the members of the present generation are trustees and guardians of the environment for succeeding generations. It is legally and morally bound to preserve and

conserve the environment, as otherwise what is left for tomorrow will be parched earth and exploited oceans and seas. Minors Oposa theory of intergenerational equity and responsibility reminds the present generation that it has to be fair and just to itself, its unborn children and to Mother Earth.