Abstract
Transboundary fisheries are a worldwide phenomenon that has considerable impact on small-scale fisheries. This chapter explores governability problems of transboundary fisheries in connection with small-scale fishers’ marginality. Insights are derived by studying the practice of transboundary fishing in the Palk Bay, South Asia, where a sizable Indian trawler fleet impedes Sri Lankan small-scale fishers from carrying out their occupation. By analyzing the features of the fisheries systems and the fragmented governance practices, this chapter raises six issues that challenge the overall system’s governability: (1) mismatch between the scale of governance and the scale of the problem; (2) high level of institutional fragmentation with limited cross-linkages; (3) actors’ strategic framing of the nature, causes and solution to the problem; (4) power imbalances between Sri Lankan and Indian fishers; (5) deep politicization that has linked fisheries issues to higher level ethnic and geopolitical conflicts; and (6) path dependency of the trawl sector. I conclude that while co-governance is in theory crucial for transboundary governance to be more responsive to the situation at hand, governability analysis explains why constructive collaborative practices are difficult, if not impossible, to create in practice in this case.
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Notes
- 1.
Contrary to most literature on the issue, our focus lies on transboundary fishing rather than on transboundary resources, as fisheries tend to be governed through the steering of people rather than fish.
- 2.
The coastal stretch between the villages Point Pedro and Talaimannar.
- 3.
An average boat in Karainagar earned $8,502 from fish landings between April 2012 and March 2013. Subtracting $1,845 for fuel costs and $950 for depreciation costs means that a boat annually earns $5,707. This amount is to be shared with two to three fishers. This estimate, moreover, is on the high side as interest payments and non-fuel operational costs are not accounted for.
- 4.
The New Indian Express newspaper 23 January 2014. Accessed on May 30 2014.
- 5.
India Today online news; September 7th 2013. Accessed on May 30 2014.
- 6.
Govt of Sri Lanka 1976 – Maritime Zones Act 22, Article 7ii.
- 7.
“[…] no fishing vessels and fishers of India shall not engage in fishing in the historic waters, the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone of Sri Lanka nor shall the fishing vessels and fishers of Sri Lanka engage in fishing in the historic waters, territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone of India, without the express permission of Sri Lanka or India, as the case may be […]” (quoted in Suryanarayan 2004: 167).
- 8.
Personal communication Navy Commander, January 2014.
- 9.
Sunday Times, 3 March 2013. http://www.sundaytimes.lk/130303/news/navy-has-a-tough-job-with-indian-fishermen-35225.html. Accessed 20 July 2014.
- 10.
See for example the Lagoon Fisheries Management Authorities in Sri Lanka, and the FIMSUL project in Tamil Nadu.
- 11.
In the period of 2004 to 2014, 6 meetings between fisher groups and 4 by the Joint Working Group have materialized.
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Scholtens, J. (2015). Limits to the Governability of Transboundary Fisheries: Implications for Small-Scale Fishers in Northern Sri Lanka and Beyond. In: Jentoft, S., Chuenpagdee, R. (eds) Interactive Governance for Small-Scale Fisheries. MARE Publication Series, vol 13. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17034-3_27
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