A subregional group that must return

As world attention focuses on the war in Ukraine, leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) will attend a summit meeting of the regional organization. The meeting, which is to be held in virtual mode, will be hosted by the current BIMSTEC Chairman Sri Lanka.

Established in 1997, the seven-member BIMSTEC, which includes India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Thailand is also a member) and the land-locked states of Nepal and Bhutan, has identified 14 pillars for special attention. These are trade and investment, transport and communication, energy, tourism, technology, fisheries, agriculture, public health, poverty alleviation, counter terrorism and transnational crime, environment and disaster management, people-to-people contacts, cultural cooperation and climate change. . While each area is important, the fragmented approach has resulted in an all-encompassing end-peak release filled with aspirations rather than action. The upcoming summit is an opportunity for BIMSTEC leaders to go beyond generalized statements and take concrete steps to address the critical challenges facing the region.

The recently organized Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue (BOMBD), organized by the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue and Pathfinder Foundation, brought together government officials, maritime experts and representatives of leading think tanks from Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia. The participants called for intensifying efforts in areas such as environmental protection; scientific research; To reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, as well as the development of standard operating procedures that can govern interactions between fishing vessels of one country’s maritime law enforcement agencies of another.

rich marine ecosystem

The presentations at BOBMD highlighted the fact that the Bay of Bengal is home to a large network of beautiful yet fragile estuaries, mangrove forests of about 15,792 square kilometers, coral reefs of about 8,471 square kilometers, seagrass meadows and mass nests. Hunting sites of sea turtles. Annual loss of mangrove areas is estimated at 0.4% to 1.7% and coral reefs at 0.7%. It is estimated that the sea level will rise by 0.5 meters in the next 50 years. In addition, there have been 13 cyclonic storms in the last five years. The gulf is an important source of natural resources for a coastal population of about 185 million people. The fishermen population alone is estimated to be around 3.7 million, with an annual fish catch of about six million tonnes, which accounts for 7% of the world’s fish catch and is valued at approximately US$4 billion. There are about 4,15,000 fishing boats operating in the Gulf and it is estimated that 33% of the fish stocks are fished in flux (Source: February 2022 presentation by E. Vivekanandan, Senior Consultant, ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute ). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the Bay of Bengal is one of the IUU fishing hotspots in the Asia-Pacific.

Major challenges facing the Bay of Bengal include the emergence of a dead zone with zero oxygen where no fish are left; leaching of plastics from rivers as well as the Indian Ocean; destruction of natural defenses by floods such as mangroves; sea ​​erosion; The increasing pressure of population and industrial development in the coastal areas and, as a result, a large amount of untreated waste flows. Security threats such as terrorism, piracy and tensions between countries are additional problems due to the arrest of fishermen crossing maritime borders. It should also be noted that the problem of fishermen crossing into the territorial waters of neighboring countries affects India and Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and Myanmar (also Pakistan on the west coast).

need for regional connectivity

The blue economy of the Bay of Bengal has huge potential. There are many opportunities for the development of maritime trade, shipping, aquaculture and tourism. However, harnessing these opportunities requires coordinated and concerted action by governments, scientists and other experts. The BIMSTEC summit should create a new regional mechanism for coordinated activities on maritime issues of a trans-border nature. This mechanism is designed to strengthen fisheries management, promote sustainable fishing practices, establish protected areas and develop frameworks to prevent and manage pollution, especially industrial and agricultural waste as well as oil spills. Immediate measures should be started for this. There is also a need for more scientific research on the effects of climate change in general and fisheries in particular.

There is currently limited cooperation between countries in the region in marine research. Most of the BIMSTEC countries have premier institutions and outstanding scientists but their interaction with the West extends far beyond the region. The use of modern technology and better fishing methods can go a long way in restoring the health of the bay.

This should be a priority area

Marine environment protection should be a priority area for cooperation in the Bay of Bengal. Enforcement should be strengthened and information shared on best practices. There is a need to develop regional protocols and establish guidelines and standards on pollution control. Decision making should be based on science and reliable data, information and tools.

There is a need for in-house solutions for mutual learning based on the capabilities of local institutions and through regional success stories. There is a need to develop a regional framework for data collection. A participatory approach should be developed for near-real-time stock valuation and building a regional open fisheries data alliance. The Bay of Bengal Program (BOBP), an inter-governmental organization based in Chennai, is doing a good job of promoting sustainable fishing.

The Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME) project is also being undertaken by FAO with funding from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and others. The BIMSTEC summit should express full support for both BOBP and BOBLME. The summit should order the authorities to come up with measures to curb volatile as well as IUU fishing. These may include setting up an international vessel tracking system and making it mandatory for ships to be equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) trackers; Establishing a regional fishing vessel registry system and publishing vessel license lists to help identify illegal vessels; Increase surveillance, control and surveillance in IUU fishing hotspots; establish regional guidelines on how to prevent and prevent IUU practices; Improve the implementation of joint regional patrols, and regional fisheries moratoriums and outreach programs targeted at fishermen. Coastal states should have harmonized laws and policies and ensure humane treatment of fishermen during any encounter with maritime law enforcement agencies.

The challenges facing the Bay of Bengal region did not delay any longer. BIMSTEC must rise, wake up and act before it is too late. The summit should set up in the process of regular meetings of officials, supported by scientists and experts, to tackle illegal and unsustainable fishing as well as prevent environmental degradation of the Bay of Bengal.

Venu Rajamani is Professor of Diplomatic Practice, OP Jindal Global University, Senior Advisor, Center for Humanitarian Dialogue and former Ambassador of India to the Netherlands.