Uphold India's traditional fishing rights in Palk Strait: TN to Centre

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin urged the Centre to establish India's traditional fishing rights in Palk Strait and guard the lives of the nation's fishermen

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday urged the Centre to establish India's traditional fishing rights in Palk Strait and guard the lives of the nation's fishermen.

Citing the arrest of 13 more fishermen from Tamil Nadu's Pudukottai district and the seizure of their 2 boats, Stalin said the incident comes just after the arrest of 55 fishermen and 8 boats on December 19. The 13 apprehended fishermen have been taken to Mayilatti harbour, he added.

Writing to the Union government, Stalin said action should be taken to prevent such 'fearsome' incidents and attacks on fishermen.

The Chief Minister underscored that the nation's traditional fishing rights in the Palk Strait region should be established. "It is our duty to protect the lives of our fishermen and their belongings (their boats and fishing gear)."

Immediate action should be taken to secure the release of all the 68 Indian fishermen arrested so far who hail from Tamil Nadu and a total of 75 fishing boats (including boats seized in previous occasions), the Chief Minister urged.

The CM's letter (dated December 21, 2021) to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, was handed over to him in Delhi by a delegation of DMK MPs led by Parliamentary party leader T R Baalu, an official release here said.

This year, there were 19 incidents of apprehension of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and in two specific instances of attack, five fishermen were killed, according to the state government.

Reportedly, several fishermen in the past have been apprehended while they were fishing around or off the Palk Strait.