Fishermen

SL Navy arrests 8 Indian fishermen for crossing border, seizes 2 boats

Fishermen who went to sea in 324 boats from Mandapam north coast of Ramanathapuram district on Dec 7 were fishing near Delft Island in Palk Bay Sea area when Sri Lanka Navy arrived and seized 2 boats

CM Stalin urges EAM to secure release of fishermen detained by Lankan Navy

He noted that the situation continues unabated, making it difficult for coastal communities to sustain their way of life

Mamata urges Bangladesh to release 84 jailed Bengal fishermen after arrests

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she wants the Bangladesh government to release the 84 fishermen from the state, who were jailed in the neighbouring country for illegally crossing the international border. During an interaction with the journalists at the state secretariat, the Bengal CM said that India has a very good friendship" with the neighbouring country. "Two fishing trawlers have been caught in Bangladesh because they entered their jurisdiction (recently). Thirty-six fishermen were arrested and are now in jail. Even after this incident, three more trawlers with 48 fishermen somehow again crossed the border to reach Bangladesh after which they were also arrested and imprisoned," Banerjee said. The Bengal CM said that the trawlers could have lost their ways or there could be some other reasons. "We have to find out whether they went there mistakenly or due to some other reasons. We are doing whatever can be done legally," she said. Banerjee said tha

Tamil Nadu fishermen protest Sri Lankan Navy's detention of 17 fishermen

Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, requesting him to ensure the release of 17 fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka

Assam flood situation remains critical, 13 fishermen rescued by IAF

Assam's flood situation remained critical on Tuesday, with over 6.5 lakh people reeling from the second wave of flooding, as the Indian Air Force (IAF) rescued 13 stranded fishermen from the severely-hit Dibrugarh district, an official said. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) had requested the IAF to rescue the fishermen from Hatia Ali, a 'char' (sandbar) area in Dibrugarh, who were stranded in the floodwaters. 'ASDMA requested IAF to airlift these 13 stranded fishermen. All the expenditure for airlifting the people will be borne by ASDMA', the official said. Earlier on Sunday, the IAF had rescued 8 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel and a revenue official from Jonai in Dhemaji district when they were stranded in another sandbar area during relief operations. Dibrugarh district has been severely affected in the current wave with the major town in Upper Assam inundated for the sixth consecutive day. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said on Monda

Twenty-four more Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka repatriated: Govt

Twenty-four Indian fishermen who were detained by the Sri Lanka Navy for allegedly fishing in the island nation's waters were on Friday repatriated to India, two days after another group of five Indian fishermen were sent to their homeland. "Twenty-four Indian fishermen repatriated from Sri Lanka. They have boarded from Colombo and are currently on their way home," the Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a post on X. On Wednesday, five Indian fishermen detained by the Sri Lanka Navy were repatriated to India. Earlier this month, 19 Indian fishermen detained by the Sri Lanka Navy were repatriated to India, the Indian High Commission said. 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 Sri Lanka Navy has so far held 23 Indian trawlers and 178 Indian fisherme

19 fishermen detained by Sri Lanka return home: Indian High Commission

As many as 19 Indian fishermen detained by the Sri Lanka Navy were on Wednesday repatriated to India after being released by authorities here, the Indian High Commission said. "Returning home! 19 Indian fishermen have been repatriated from Sri Lanka and are now on their way from Colombo to Chennai," the Indian High Commission here said in a post on X. The Navy has so far held 23 Indian trawlers and 178 Indian fishermen for allegedly fishing in the island nation's waters thus far in 2024, and handed them over to authorities for legal action, the Sri Lankan Navy late last month confirmed in a statement. 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 release of 19 Indian fishermen comes amidst a row over the Katchatheevu island issue after India's ruling BJP blamed

Fishers Coop allege income loss amid inability to operate insurance scheme

In India much of the fisheries sector is dominated by cooperatives who number around 28,000

21 fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka, TN parties tell Centre to seek action

The Tamil Nadu unit of BJP and the PMK on Sunday flagged the arrest of 21 more fishermen by Sri Lanka and urged the Centre to swiftly secure the release of fishers and their boats. Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai and PMK top leader Anbumani Ramadoss said 21 fishermen have been arrested by the island nation. Also, their two boats have been seized. The fishermen were arrested on the night of March 16 by Lankan authorities. Writing to External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, Annamalai said: "We bring to your kind attention the detention of 21 fishermen from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy and 2 fishing boats belonging to these fishermen were also apprehended. We request the intervention of our External affairs ministry to facilitate the early repatriation of the detainees and the release of their fishing boats." Annamalai posted a copy of his letter to the minister on 'X'. In a post on 'X', Anbumani, also a Rajya Sabha MP, said during the past one week, as many as 58

WTO: Fisheries subsidies are vital for developing countries, says India

With about 9 million people dependent on the sector, India constitutes 25 per cent of the world's fishermen

Taiwan protests China's boarding of tourist boat near Kinmen Island

Taiwan on Tuesday protested China's boarding of a tourist boat, as tensions rise around the Kinmen archipelago, which lies a short distance off China's coast but is controlled by Taiwan. Taiwanese media reported the King Xia, carrying 11 crew and 23 passengers, was boarded by the Chinese coast guard for about 32 minutes on Monday. Taiwan's coast guard escorted the boat back to Kinmen, and it then continued its sight-seeing voyage. Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling told journalists at the legislature on Tuesday that the incident hurt the feelings of our people, created panic among the people, and was not in the interest of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, referring to the 160 km- (100 mile)-wide waterway that separates mainland China from Taiwan, a self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory. Premier Chen Chien-jen said Taiwan was seeking to lower tensions in the area, which have escalated as China increased military activities following ...

China's coast guard to ramp up patrols in Taiwan after two fishermen die

China is stepping up patrols in the waters off the coast of Taiwan's Kinmen archipelago, days after two of its fishermen drowned while being chased by the Taiwanese coast guard, which accused the boat of trespassing. The Chinese coast guard's Fujian division will regularly monitor the waters off the southern coast of the city of Xiamen a few kilometers from Kinmen to strengthen maritime law enforcement, said the coast guard's spokesman, Gan Yu, in a statement Sunday. Fishermen from Taiwan and China regularly sail that stretch of water which has seen a rise in tensions as the number of Chinese vessels including sand dredgers and fishing boats have notably increased in the area. Kinmen residents have complained of both the noise and sound pollution from the vessels, as well as losses to their livelihood in fishing. The fishermen's deaths are unusual despite the level of Chinese activity in the waters near Kinmen, which is closer to China than it is to Taiwan's main island. China

SL Navy arrests 19 Indian fishermen for illegally fishing in its waters

Sri Lanka has arrested 19 Indian fishermen and two trawlers for illegally fishing in the island nation's waters near Delft Island in northern Jaffna province, the country's Navy said on Thursday, in the second such incident this month. The Sri Lanka Navy in the operation with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard on Wednesday also seized 2 Indian trawlers alongside the arrest of 19 Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters, the Navy said in a statement. The 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 Navy continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practised by foreign fishermen as they have a direct impact on the livelihood of locals, it said. As an extension of these operations, the Northern Naval Command deployed Fast Attack Craft of the Navy and Coast Guard to chase away a cluster of Indian poachin

266 fishermen in foreign jails, govt trying to secure release: Rupala

As many as 266 Indian fishermen are languishing in foreign jails, the government on Tuesday said, adding that efforts are being made to secure their early release. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala said, "As per the information available with the Ministry of External Affairs, there are 266 Indian fishermen languishing in foreign jails". "There are 41 fishermen went from Tamil Nadu in Sri Lanka, 184 fishermen went from Gujarat in Pakistan, 10 fishermen in Bahrain and 31 fishermen in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," the minister said. As per the data available, 1,172 fishing boats from Gujarat and 87 fishing boats from Tamil Nadu are under the custody of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively. "The Government attaches highest priority to the safety, security and welfare of Indian fishermen. As soon as cases of apprehension of Indian fishermen and their fishing boats are reported, immediate steps are taken by Indian Missions an

12 Tamil Nadu fishermen released from Sri Lanka, 11 still held in detention

"They were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing near Delft island, and subsequently taken to Myalati Naval Camp, Jaffna for further investigation," an official stated

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

China to keep up military pressure against Philippines as disputes escalate

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi says the country will maintain military pressure on the Philippines amid a dispute over sovereignty in the South China Sea that could involve US forces defending their treaty partner. In a phone conversation on Wednesday with his Philippine counterpart, Enrique A. Manalo, Wang warned that if the Philippine side misjudges the situation, goes its own way, or even colludes with ill-intentioned external forces to continue to stir up troubles, China will defend its rights in accordance with law and respond resolutely, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Wang's comments follow China's mobilization of its coast guard and maritime militia to block Philippine supply missions to support its soldiers and fishermen. China claims sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea, one of the world's most crucial waterways for shipping, putting it at odds with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, who all maintain claims over islands, ree

10 TN fishermen arrested in British water handed over to Indian Coast Guard

Around 10 fishermen from Tamil Nadu who were arrested earlier this month from near the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) in the Indian Ocean, and tried and fined 60,000 Pounds Sterling, were on Sunday handed over to the Indian Coast Guard. The fishermen had ventured into fishing areas in the deep sea, around 230 nautical miles near the BIOT -- an archipelago of 58 islands covering some 640,000 sq km of ocean, a defence statement said. The area is a British Overseas Territory, located approximately halfway between East Africa and Indonesia, and administered from London, the statement said. The fishermen were arrested on December 6, tried at BIOT and fined 60,000 Pounds Sterling, it said and added that information regarding the same was communicated to the Indian Ocean Directorate of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on December 14. The fishermen's boat has been seized as the fine was not paid and the 10 crew were released, it said. The fishermen have 30 days from

Prevail upon Lanka to secure release of 45 fishermen, TN CM tells Centre

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin requested the Centre on Thursday to immediately take up through appropriate diplomatic channels the apprehension of fishermen from the state with Sri Lanka and secure the release of 45 fishermen and 138 boats. Expressing "a deep sense of anguish" on yet another incident of apprehension of six Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy on December 13, he said this was the third such occurrence in a week. "Six fishermen from Jegathapattinam fishing harbour, Pudukkottai district, who ventured for fishing in a mechanised fishing boat were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy along with their fishing boat," the Chief Minister said in a letter to Union External Affairs Minister C Jaishankar, a copy of which was made available to the media here. He said the Sri Lankan Navy continued to infringe upon the traditional rights of our fishermen, and their frequent arrests have jeopardised the livelihoods of the fishermen and have instilled fear and panic in the ..

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 ...