Page 2 - Indian Fishermen

Sri Lanka arrests 23 Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in its waters

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 23 Indian fishermen and seized two trawlers for allegedly poaching in the island nation's waters, according to an official statement here. The fishermen were arrested, and their two trawlers were seized on Saturday north of the Delft Island, Jaffna, the Sri Lanka Navy said in a press release on Sunday. The 23 apprehended fishermen and their two trawlers were escorted to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for further action, it said. "The Sri Lanka Navy conducted a special operation to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters on the night of February 3, 2024. The operation resulted in the seizure of 2 Indian trawlers and the apprehension of 23 Indian nationals poaching in the northern waters of Sri Lanka, off the Delft Island in Jaffna, the statement said. The Navy conducts regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices by foreign fishing ...

SL arrests 18 more Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in its waters

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 18 Indian fishermen and seized their trawlers for allegedly poaching in the island nation's waters, an official statement said on Wednesday, in the third such incident this month. The fishermen were arrested, and their two trawlers seized on Tuesday off the coast of Mannar in the northeast, the Sri Lanka Navy said in a press release. The 18 apprehended fishermen were escorted to the Thalpadu Pier in Mannar and will be handed over to the Talaimannar Fisheries Inspector for further action, it said. On Sunday, as many as ten Indian fishermen were arrested, and their trawler seized for allegedly poaching in the island nation's waters, while 12 Indian fishermen were apprehended on Saturday. The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters. T

Sri Lanka arrests 14 Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in its waters

The Sri Lanka Navy has arrested 14 Indian fishermen and seized their trawler for allegedly poaching in the island nation's waters, taking the total number of arrests this year to nearly 240. These fishermen were arrested on Sunday off the coast of Karainagar in the northern Jaffna peninsula, the Navy said in a release on Monday. So far this year, some 240 Indian fishermen, along with 35 trawlers, have been arrested for illegal fishing. Earlier on December 6, at least 21 Indian fishermen were similarly arrested with their four trawlers seized in the northeastern waters off Mannar and Kovilan. Last week, referring to the recurring problem of Indian fishermen doing illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters, Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda told Parliament that it needs a top-level diplomatic solution between the two nations. The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait an

Sri Lanka arrests 21 Indian fishermen for alleged poaching in its waters

At least 21 Indian fishermen have been arrested for allegedly poaching in Sri Lanka's territorial waters, the island nation's Navy has said, taking the total number this year to 195. The Indian fishermen were arrested and their four trawlers were seized on Wednesday in the northeastern waters off Mannar and Kovilan. The Navy said in 2023 they had arrested 195 Indian fishermen for poaching in Sri Lankan waters. The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters. The Palk Strait, which is a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries. There have been periodic instances of Indian fishermen being arrested by Sri Lankan authorities for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and ...

Continuing attacks on fishermen by SL means Modi regime is 'weak': Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday said the continued attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy shows the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "weak". Chairing a fishermen's welfare conference here, he reiterated that retrieval of Katchatheevu, an island ceded to Sri Lanka by way of mutual agreements in 1974, was the permanent solution for the plaguing fishermen issue. Stalin, who is the ruling DMK President, also said his father and late chief minister M Karunanidhi had provided a report that Katchatheevu belongs to India. The Chief Minister's reference regarding the ceding of the island comes days after PM Modi said it was the Indira Gandhi government which gave the Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka in 1974. Modi had also said the current DMK government in Tamil Nadu keeps writing to him urging to retrieve the island. Stalin further alleged attacks on Indian fishermen from the state by the Lankan navy has increased during the current NDA .

Iran releases 8 Indian fishermen detained by its force: MoS Muraleedharan

Eight Indian fishermen detained by the Iranian authorities for allegedly entering their waters without permission have been released by the Middle East nation, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said on Wednesday. In a Malayalam Facebook post, Muraleedharan said natives of Anchuthengu in Kerala are also among the fishermen who were released by Iran recently. The minister said the information about the fishermen's release was given by the Ambassador of Iran to India, Iraj Elahi, who met him at his office in New Delhi on Wednesday. Muraleedharan thanked the Government of Iran for the release of the Indian fishermen. He also sought intervention for the early release of the remaining fishermen. On June 29, Muraleedharan had met the families of seven fishermen from Kerala at a church nearby Anchuthengu and assured them of all possible efforts to release them. Out of seven fishermen from Kerala, five are from Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram district, and two are fr

17 fishermen rescued alive after trawler capsizes in Bay of Bengal

Seventeen fishermen were rescued alive after their trawler capsized in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday, officials said. The incident happened around 25 km away from Patharpratima in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district when the fishing trawler was returning from the sea due to a warning of inclement weather, they said. As this trawler, named 'FB Prasenjit', capsized due to rough waves, and the fishermen fell into the sea, a nearby trawler came to their rescue. The rescued fishermen were brought to Kakdwip, officials said. The trawler went out to the sea five days back to catch hilsa, they said. More trawlers are being sent to the sea to recover FB Prasenjit, they added.

Stalin urges PM Modi to take up fishermen issue with visiting Lankan Prez

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the issue of protection of the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen. Pointing to Wickremesinghe's two-day official visit to the country this week, Stalin outlined 'retrieval' of Katchatheevu island and addressing the genuine aspirations of the Tamil-speaking people in Sri Lanka as matters of great concern to the people of Tamil Nadu. At the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, Wickremesinghe is set to visit India on an official visit on July 21. This will be his first visit to the country since assuming the 'current responsibilities,' according to the External Affairs Ministry. Stalin, writing to Modi, said it is imperative to protect the social, political, cultural and economic rights of the Tamils in Sri Lanka so that they could lead dignified lives as equal citizens. "For this purpose, there must be adequate and meaningful devolution of

15 Indian fishermen arrested for poaching in Lanka's territorial waters

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 15 Indian fishermen on board two trawlers for allegedly poaching in the country's territorial waters, according to an official statement on Sunday. The Sri Lanka Navy and coast guard conducted a special operation to chase away Indian trawlers engaged in illegal fishing in Sri Lanka on the night of July 8," the Sri Lanka Navy said in a statement. The operation off the Delft Island in Jaffna led to the arrest of 15 Indian nationals, it said. The seized trawlers along with the arrested fishermen were brought to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for onward legal proceedings, it said. Last month, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 22 Indian fishermen belonging to the state of Tamil Nadu for illegal poaching. So far in 2023, Sri Lanka Navy has seized 12 Indian poaching trawlers and arrested 74 Indian fishermen in island waters this year and handed them over to authorities for legal action, the statement added. The .

Sri Lankan Navy arrests 22 Indian fishermen, seizes their boats

The Sri Lankan navy arrested 22 Indian fishermen for allegedly fishing in their waters. The fishermen were arrested from near Neduntheevu late on Wednesday

Pak to release 200 Indian fishermen, 3 civilian prisoners: Bhutto Zardari

Pakistan will release 200 Indian fishermen and three civilian prisoners on Friday as a humanitarian gesture, foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has announced. Last month, Pakistani authorities released 198 Indian fishermen, languishing in a prison in Karachi after being arrested for allegedly fishing illegally in the country's waters. They were handed over to India at the Wagah border. "Today, Pakistan is releasing 200 Indian fishermen and 3 civilian prisoners. Earlier, 198 Indian fishermen were repatriated on 12 May 2023," Bhutto Zardari said in a tweet. "This is in line with Pakistan's policy of not politicising humanitarian matters. Compassion should take precedence over politics," he added. Pakistan and India regularly arrest rival fishermen for violating the maritime boundary, which is poorly marked at some points.

1 prisoner dead as Pakistan set to release 199 Indian fishermen on Friday

Pakistani authorities are expected to go ahead with its goodwill gesture to release on Friday 199 Indian fishermen arrested for allegedly fishing illegally in the country's waters, despite the death of an Indian civilian who was to be repatriated with them. Kazi Nazir, a top police official in the jail and corrections department in Sindh, said that they had been told by relevant government ministries to prepare for the release and repatriation of 199 fishermen on Friday. These fishermen will be sent to Lahore and handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah border. Currently, these fishermen are lodged at the Landhi jail here. He said the goodwill gesture process appeared on the course although an Indian civilian prisoner, Zulfiqar, who was to be repatriated with the fishermen died in a hospital in Karachi on Saturday due to an illness. "According to officials at Landhi jail the Indian prisoner had complained about high fever and chest problems and his condition deteriorated last

Srilankans attacked Indian fishermen, took their catch & equipment: TN CM

Srilankans assaulted Indian fishermen, took away their catch and equipment, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin apprised the Centre on Monday and urged that the matter be taken up with Sri Lanka to ensure action against assailants and prevent recurrence of such attacks. Writing to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Stalin said while fishermen from Nagappattinam in Tamil Nadu were fishing east of Thopputhurai area on February 15, about "10 Sri Lankan nationals in three fishing boats surrounded the Indian fishing boat and beaten our innocent fishermen with iron rod, sticks and knives." The Nagappatinam based country craft sailed with a crew of six. In this attack, one fishermen sustained injuries in head and left hand and other five fishermen sustained internal injuries. The Sri Lankan nationals took away materials worth about Rs 2 lakh including walkie-talkie, GPS equipment, battery and about 200 kg fish. The injured were admitted in Nagapattinam government hospital for ...

Twelve Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka Navy for poaching off coast

The Sri Lanka Navy has arrested 12 Indian fishermen and seized their trawlers for allegedly poaching in the country's territorial waters. The fishermen were arrested off the coast of Vettilaikerni in northern Jaffna district on Wednesday, the Sri Lanka Navy said in a statement. They are currently detained at the Kankesanthurai fishing harbour, it said. "Sri Lanka Navy has stepped up its patrols and operations in the country's waters to curb illegal fishing practices of fishing trawlers", it said. The Sri Lanka Navy has arrested 264 Indian fishermen and seized 36 trawlers this year. Illegal fishing in the Sri Lankan waters by Indian fishermen has been a recurrent problem despite many high-level talks held between the two sides. In the past, the Sri Lanka Navy personnel has even fired at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seized their trawlers in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan's territorial waters. The Palk Strait, which is a narrow strip of water

3,936 Indian fishermen, 468 boats taken in foreign custody in 5 yrs: Centre

'Indian fishermen were generally apprehended by countries on charges of allegedly fishing in their territorial waters'

SL navy arrests 15 Indian fishermen for alleged poaching in northern waters

The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) stated that the arrests were made during 'a special operation in seas north of Talaimannar to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lanka's waters'

68 Indian fishermen apprehended by Lanka released, repatriated: Govt to SC

The Centre told the Supreme Court on Friday that 68 Indian fishermen who were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy have been released and repatriated. A bench of justices Aniruddha Bose and Vikram Nath took note of the status report filed by the government and disposed of a plea seeking their release. "We have perused the status report filed on behalf of the Union of India supported by an affidavit. It has been stated in this report that all the 68 Indian fishermen who were apprehended between December 18 and 20, 2021 by Sri Lankan Navy, have been released and repatriated to this country. "In such circumstances, we do not find any reason to keep the present petition pending. Accordingly, the same is disposed of. Pending application, if any, shall also stand disposed of," the bench said. The top court was hearing a plea seeking directions to the Centre to negotiate with the Sri Lankan government to secure release of arrested Indian fishermen. The petition, filed by Tamil Nadu residen

135 fishermen return to West Bengal after over a year in Bangladesh jail

Total 135 fishermen returned to their homes in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas after spending over a year in a Bangladeshi jail, their union said on Sunday. Due to strong currents in the Bay of Bengal, eight trawlers with these fishermen on board entered the Bangladeshi waters in June last year, it said. They were intercepted by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and handed over to the local police at Mongla Port in Khulna, said Satinath Patra, the secretary of Sundarban Saamudrik Matsyajibi Sramik Union. After coordinated efforts at different levels, including the Union Home Ministry, and with the cooperation of the Bangladeshi authorities, they were released from the neighbouring country on October 3, he said. They reached different ghats of Kakdwip on Thursday, he added. "We are happy that they could come back to their families finally. These fishermen are residents of different villages in Kakdwip and Namkhana," Patra said. "Two more trawlers in which 30 fishermen were on board ar

Sri Lankan Navy apprehends 8 Indian fishermen near Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram

The Sri Lankan Navy has apprehended 8 Indian fishermen from near here, for alleged maritime boundary violation, officials said on Tuesday. The fishermen hailed from Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu. They were picked up by the Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in that country's waters between Mullaitheevu and Neduntheevu late on Monday, Fisheries officials said. One boat was also detained.

Sri Lankan Navy arrests 6 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, apprehends boat

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested six Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu and apprehended their boat