Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

It was a warm evening in February 2012 when two Indian fishermen Ajesh Binki and Valentine aboard St Anthony were killed while they were out fishing in the seas not too far from their home state Kerala. 
 
They were killed as a result of gunshot confrontation with MV Enrica Lexie, an oil tanker which was on its way to Egypt from Singapore, when life changed drastically for four men. 
 Binki and Valentine were shot dead by two Italian marines <keyword id="943601" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Massimiliano-Latorre">Massimiliano Latorre</keyword> and <keyword id="942884" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Salvatore-Girone">Salvatore Girone</keyword>, who have been awaiting trial over the case. While Girone continues to stay at the Italian Embassy awaiting trial, Latorre returned to Italy citing medical grounds, where he reportedly underwent a heart operation in the last few months. He had also suffered a stroke while he was in India, and this was the main reason that prompted Supreme Court to grant him permission to travel to his home country. 
 
This incident has complicated India’s relationship with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Italy">Italy</a>, ever since the latter country claimed that the marines should be allowed to return to their home country and be tried there instead of India, as the incident had happened in international coastal area. 
 
It also raised concerns about using armed guards on commercial shipping companies. India, at some point, even accused the maritime industry of being responsible for the incident by way of cruising in the high risk area, for piracy, which had extended to the Indian coastline. 
 
The marines Latorre and Girone were detained in judicial custody with charges of homicide pressed against them. Kerala police charged them with murder based on the post-mortem report and also with corroborating evidence provided by ballistic experts. 
 
Two years later, India decided to prosecute Italian marines under SUA Act that came into existence in 1998, with an objective of curbing international terrorism. Italy clearly refused to buy the theory of marines being charged with attempts of terrorism or homicide, since the incident was a result of shooting confrontation, started by St Anthony in which Binki and Valentine were travelling. 
 Since the beginning of the incident, Italy has objected to the arbitering of Indian courts for the reasons that the trial wouldn’t be a fair one with two marines already being charged with homicide and other serious charges. Italy decided to go for <keyword id="1008266" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-arbitration">international arbitration</keyword> claiming jurisdiction. Italy felt this was the best measure to be initiated during this time, since it coincided with the United Nations Convention on the Law and of the sea. 
 
This step was much expected since Italy had been inclined towards having the case taken to international court than be decided in India where the laws of land can be difficult to interpret pertaining to the specific case. 
 
The process of international arbitration is yet to find ground. Because, Italy will have to be highly specific as the curiosity had risen about the Italy’s next move on which international body it would be approaching to have the case dealt with. 
 
As expected, <a href="https://www.itlos.org/">International Tribune for the Law of Sea</a> (ITLOS), which was approached by Italy, sent out a directive to Indian Supreme Court, asking the judiciary body to maintain status quo on all the proceedings relating to the case. And, subsequent to this, SC halted all proceedings relating to the case in India. 
 
The case has caused much heartburn to both the countries since the mudslinging has resulted in strained international relations. 
 
International arbitration route could be the best solution possible to end this three year impasse, and move further in terms of mending the fences between both countries. India, which was earlier not too keen on reaching out for international arbitration, stating it would challenge the decision if Italy ever went that way, has now softened its stance, and said it would participate in arbitration proceedings foreseen under a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=UN+convention">UN convention</a>. 
 
This incident had wider fallouts with countries like Rome siding with Italy on the international arbitration route since this could be a trendsetter of sorts for other countries to follow. And this would result in seriously damaging commercial shipping companies’ interests in the long run, affecting all countries equally whenever they have to sail on international high seas. 
 
The arrest of two marines even caused the collapse of India-EU Summit planned during <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Narendra+Modi">Prime Minister Narendra </a><a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Narendra+Modi">Modi</a>’s visit to Germany in April this year. 
 
India’s willingness to participate in international arbitration makes one thing clearer than before. India’s international relations with Italy and EU at large are set for a change, and this is definitely headed in the direction of putting the past behind and moving ahead with positivity. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Quagmire of Italian marines’ case: Woebegone to bygone?

<keyword id="1144614" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="fishery">Fishery</keyword> is a sector that has huge potential in India, which is surrounded by coastlines on three sides. This sector employs more than 14 million people. Coastal states and the adjoining areas are the major benefactors of this industry, which remains largely unorganised with high levels of insecurity and dangers dangling around the necks of people who are involved in it.

	India has nearly 8,200 km of coastline with nearly 3,827 villages engaged in fishing as the main economic activity. There are nearly 2,000 fish trading centres in these areas. Fresh water reserves and reservoirs in the country also present enormous opportunities for fishing and trading activities. At the beginning of the decade, marine and freshwater resources together had fishing potential of about four million metric tonnes. Increasing yield year after year has been a positive indicator of the future growth potential in the field.<o:p></o:p>

	About 65 varieties of marine fish are harvested in the country, which are also of high commercial importance. This apart, Pelagic and mid-water species make for more than half the amount of the total fish production. India’s fish and prawn reach most South East Asian countries, the largest consumers of the sea delicacies.<o:p></o:p>

	To put things in perspective, India is world’s third largest producer of fish and comes next only to its neighbour China in terms of fish production. But the sector is facing heavy challenges in terms of innovation, expansion and regularisation of aspects related to fishing and trading, even while security concerns of <keyword id="6393670" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Fishermen">fishermen</keyword>, who get arrested by neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Pakistan, remain a bone of contention between countries.<o:p></o:p>

	The potential and commercial success of fisheries should ideally make it a story worth emulating for other sectors. But the constant ignorance of governments has left the sector with a feeling resentment and abandonment. Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised, during his election campaign, to set up a separate ministry for fisheries, it has not materialized yet.<o:p></o:p>

	India exported fish worth nearly Rs 18,856 crore and it stood at 9,28,251 tonnes in 2012 - 13. The European market presents excellent export potential. The United States of America, Japan and China also remain loyal customers of the Indian fish. <o:p></o:p>

	Forecast for the future is also equally bright. Marine Products Development Authority (MPEDA) estimates $4.2 billion target for Indian fish trade with Vannamei Shrimp and Black Tiger Shrimp, which are all season fish and sea food delicacies preferred worldwide.<o:p></o:p>

	Experts have been suggesting that the country stop taking pride in production capacity and look at sustainable methods to reach better commercial success with regard to the fishing industry. They opine that the fisheries sector should look at future growth, rather than just enjoying the catch with every passing year. Adopting responsible and sustainable fishery practices, bringing together agriculture and aquaculture farms to create agro-aqua farms, improving selling efforts inland and spreading fish quality literacy among fishermen to ensure hygienic practices are some of the focus areas. Prevalence of antibiotic residues in Indian fisheries stocks is a cause of worry for those who are looking at creating infrastructure to keep fishing sustainable, safe and healthy.<o:p></o:p>

	Any change in the ocean areas along the water table is bound to affect the produce. Consistent degradation of shorelines and loss of coral reefs have been major problems faced by India. Unless focus shifts to a comprehensive method of fishery, India stands the threat of losing its brownie points on this front.<o:p></o:p>

India’s Fish Bowl: A Tale
Of Abundance And Challenges

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/35456872@N00/8350963742/in/photolist-dHWSzu-bkG8sp-dqzRtD-dqzRLT-dqzRcZ-fGvajc-aaCFKi-98JoJi-agjwPb-bbbJHx-cwf4tw-948Rzd-dTQCfn-abWDov-ad7x38-acxXMJ-acfPMJ-fHiDK6-9UcXyU-9TAx3v-8DJqUS-7zLadE-a5ZE5S-87jJyw-9ADnbQ-8Ch7J1-aB1qHd-azh2bS-azdoJZ-b5m1H8-aL6Nbi-asykfp-9AAskZ-abTGBQ-abTGDd-9UEkzt-cCt4oY-cCt4jq-cByZNQ-dKWuTL-fGMJM7">Michael Bentley/Flickr</a>A lionfish (Pterois miles)</div></div></div>The Mediterranean is being invaded by a new alien species: the lionfish. According to a <a href="http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=MBD">new study, published in Marine Biodiversity Records</a>, these beautiful but venomous fish have colonized the south eastern coastline of Cyprus in just a single year, and their numbers are expected to grow. The study authors believe that the warming sea temperatures of the Mediterranean Sea and the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-33800076">2015 expansion of the Suez canal</a> may be allowing the lionfish to expand their range. A wider and deeper canal makes it easier for lionfish larvae and swimming adults to gain access to the Mediterranean waters. An infestation of lionfish could be a disaster for the local Mediterranean ecosystem. <h2>Notorious invaders</h2>Originally from the Pacific and Indian oceans, these creatures are notorious invaders, having already rapidly spread throughout the Caribbean and Western Atlantic. It is believed that the animals first appeared in the Atlantic near South Florida in the 1980s after being <a href="http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/lionfish.html">dumped from home aquariums</a> and then they quickly grew into an established invasive species by the 2000s. These non-native fish have very few predators, thanks to their long, poisonous spines. Even humans have to be careful around these fish because their sting is <a href="http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/lionfish.html">extremely painful</a> and can cause paralysis, cardiac arrest and, occasionally, death by anaphylactic shock. With no natural predators, lionfish reproduce at an <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/lionfish-deadly-poisonous-mediterranean-sea-climate-change-suez-canal-a7106936.html">alarmingly fast pace</a>, reports The Independent. They spawn every four days, all year round. Each female can produce about <a href="http://www.popsci.com/lionfish-are-invading-mediterranean">2 million eggs in a year.</a> These prolific invaders have also demonstrated that they are <a href="http://www.livescience.com/55206-lionfish-invade-mediterranean-sea.html?cmpid=514645">highly adaptable</a>, able to thrive in a range of water temperatures, depths and salinity levels, according to LiveScience. <h2>Voracious predators</h2>The invasion of these fish is particularly worrisome because they tend to eat their way through the food chain, devouring all kinds of local fish and crustaceans. As active top predators, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), lionfish <a href="http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/stories/lionfish/factsheet.html">consume over 50 species of fish</a>, including not only some ecologically important species, such as reef fish, but also certain species that are economically important. For example, these fish are known to feed on the young of snapper and grouper, both <a href="http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/lionfish.html">important commercial fish species</a>. Their presence can have devastating consequences on the local fishing economy as a result. <h2>What can we do</h2>Despite their poisonous spines, lionfish are slow-moving, making them easy to collect by divers and fishermen that take proper precautions and use the right equipment. They are <a href="http://www.livescience.com/55206-lionfish-invade-mediterranean-sea.html?cmpid=514645">also edible</a> (once the spines are removed.) <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image">Maria PapinikolaA lionfish photographed in the Mediterranean.</div></div></div>This is why scientists and fishermen have teamed up in the Western Atlantic to try to slow down the lionfish invasion. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has even created a number of initiatives and opportunities for divers, anglers, and commercial harvesters to remove and kill as many lionfish as possible in <a href="http://www.livescience.com/13995-lionfish-derby-invasive-species.html">seasonal competitions</a> and year-round events. In the Mediterranean, the lionfish invasion is just getting started, but things can quickly escalate. Already another invasive species, the <a href="http://www.livescience.com/55206-lionfish-invade-mediterranean-sea.html?cmpid=514645">pufferfish, has disrupted food chains</a> and replaced native species, threatening local biodiversity in the Mediterranean, reports LiveScience. Without action, lionfish might be next. "By publishing this information, we can help stakeholders plan mitigating action," Jason Hall Spencer, study author and professor at Plymouth University, told the Independent. He suggests that removal programs like those in Florida be implemented, as well as the restoration of populations of dusky groupers, a potential predator. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/study-found-link-between-personality-having-sex-2016-6">People with these personality traits have more and better sex</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="I2dWJ5MzE6oHPyMm2AZsNUXflC0CPwit" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Lionfish have invaded the Mediterranean - here's why it matters

An indigenous tribe in Washington is strategically placing beavers around to help salmon

America, The Startup: How European Settlers Launched The Most Entrepreneurial Economy In The World

You Searched For "indian fishermen arrested" and got 5 results

Quagmire of Italian marines’ case: Woebegone to bygone?

Preetam Kaushik

India’s Fish Bowl: A Tale Of Abundance And Challenges

Preetam Kaushik

Lionfish have invaded the Mediterranean - here's why it matters

Simone M. Scully

An indigenous tribe in Washington is strategically placing beavers around to help salmon

Ben Goldfarb, bioGraphic

America, The Startup: How European Settlers Launched The Most Entrepreneurial Economy In The World

Rob Wile

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides