Fishing Rights in Post-War Sri Lanka: Results of a Longitudinal Enquiry in the Vadamarachchi

Abstract

"This paper is a first reflection on the shape and shaping of fishing rights in post-war societies such as northern Sri Lanka. It is inspired by astonishment that, in a region devastated by long periods of violence, evacuation as well as natural calamity (tsunami 2004), old notions of fishing rights are adapted for contemporary fishing practice. My aim is to document and analyse current practice in this region, making use of material collected in two time periods: the late 1970s, when a colleague and I carried out master-level fieldwork in the village of Thalaiyadi, and more recently in January 2012 and 2013, when I was again able to spend time on location."