Illegal fishing: Red and yellow cards

The Editorial from The Island

Thailand has expressed its disappointment at a European Union (EU) ultimatum over ‘illegal fishing’. Thai authorities have, fearing a colossal loss to the tune of billions of US dollars in the event of a ban on their fish exports to Europe, taken umbrage at what has come to be dubbed the flashing of the 'yellow' card. The EU insists that the Thai government has not done enough all these years, in spite of repeated warnings, to address the issues which have led to unreported and unregulated fishing. Denying this charge, Thailand has said all its efforts to tackle the problem have gone unappreciated, if not ignored.

Europe’s environmental concerns and tough action against illegal fishing are to be appreciated. Such measures are called for to ensure the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources. The EU has already shown Sri Lanka the red card, so to speak, and stopped buying the latter’s fish mainly due to unreported and unregulated fishing. Even the incumbent Sri Lankan government considered a darling of the EU and other western powers has not been able to have the ban which is believed to have stemmed partly from Europe's antipathy towards the previous regime, lifted yet.

Regrettably, the EU has chosen to adopt punitive action selectively. It uses an iron fist in dealing with some culprits, but handles others with kid gloves.

It has been proved beyond any doubt that Indians not only plunder Sri Lanka's fish but also employ, with impunity, illegal methods such as bottom trawling in spite of enormous environmental damage they cause. Poaching has also dealt a kidney punch to the northern fishermen here who are struggling to rebuild their lives devastated by a bloody conflict which led to severe restrictions on fishing in the North and East for over two decades. They complain that the Indian poachers have deprived them of their livelihood. There have also been instances where they resorted to direct action, assaulting and capturing as they did their Indian counterparts in Sri Lankan waters, to protect their interests. Ironically, the illegal fishers are backed by some South Indian politicians who shed copious tears for the people in the North and the East of Sri Lanka.

Successive Sri Lankan governments have baulked at going the whole hog to hold poachers at bay for fear of antagonising India. They even release the Indians and their craft taken into custody for illegal fishing to propitiate New Delhi.

The problem of poaching has defied a solution all these years because Tamil Nadu politicians are promoting it openly to garner votes by taking up the cudgels for the poachers who get arrested. They are also striving to bring Sri Lanka and India on a collision course through such provocative action. Thus, it may be seen that illegal fishing by Indians has caused legal, environmental, political, diplomatic and humanitarian problems for decades. But, the EU has not at least issued a warning. Why?

Acting Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific of the European External Action Service Ugo Astuto, who was here recently, refused to be drawn on the issue. Asked why the EU, which had banned fish imports from Sri Lanka on the grounds of illegal fishing, continued to purchase fish from India though the Indian fishers poached in the Sri Lankan waters and used banned methods such as bottom trawling, the official maintained that it was a bilateral issue. "We can comment only on the EU’s dealings with Sri Lanka."

So, the EU sees no evil, hears no evil and speaks no evil when it comes to the serious offence of illegal fishing committed by some countries for reasons! If this is not hypocrisy what is it?