Sri Lanka’s Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) has formally recommended sinking the seized fishing boats of Tamil Nadu fishermen in the mid-sea as part of a project to develop artificial reef ecosystems, sources said here.
The move is expected to further increase the tension between India and Sri Lanka amidst the ongoing complexities in maritime boundaries and rights over resources between the two nations.
The decision by the Lankan authorities comes at a time when the Tamil Nadu government and the Indian government had been continuously appealing to the Lankan authorities to release the boats seized by the Lankan coast guard.
The proposal, detailed in a letter by the DFAR director, calls for the mid-sea scuttling of 34 Indian boats confiscated in 2022 and 2023, said sources quoting the letter.
These vessels are among the 74 TN boats currently held by Sri Lankan authorities after being seized by their navy for allegedly trespassing Sri Lanka’s maritime territory.
Over 170 TN boats have been detained over the past five years, with courts ordering the release of over a dozen vessels so far.
DFAR is responsible for the management and regulation of marine fisheries in the island nation.
The initiative aims to repurpose the confiscated boats to construct underwater artificial reef structures, intended to enhance marine biodiversity and support local fisheries.
District-level fisheries officers in the island nation have been instructed to submit formal recommendations to advance the plan.
Sri Lanka’s navy has intensified efforts in recent years to deter alleged illegal incursions by Indian fishermen into its waters, a longstanding point of diplomatic tension.
Indian fishermen’s associations have yet to formally respond to the proposal.
(DT Next)
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