Rameswaram. The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested nine fishermen from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Sri Lankan waters. The Navy also seized the mechanized fishing boat they were using. This incident occurred while over 2,000 fishermen from Rameswaram had ventured out to sea in more than 400 mechanized boats.
According to reports, a large number of fishermen from Rameswaram had set out to sea on Wednesday. Many of these boats were fishing in the waters surrounding Katchatheevu. During this time, a Sri Lankan Navy patrol team reportedly asked the Indian fishermen to leave the area. The Navy alleges that one mechanized boat had crossed the IMBL into Sri Lankan waters and was fishing there.
Following the Sri Lankan Navy’s action, all nine fishermen on board the boat were taken into custody. Reports indicate that the boat belongs to an individual named Prashanth from Rameswaram. The arrested fishermen include Arul Loyola, Praveen, Sabari Vinod, Keerthisan, Senthil, Gayas, and Malik Dinar, among others; however, the spelling of some names varies across different reports.
After being detained, the fishermen were first taken to a Sri Lankan Navy camp. They were subsequently handed over to Fisheries Department officials. Later, they were produced before a court, which ordered their judicial custody. According to reports, they have been sent to Vavuniya Prison.
Outrage Among Fishermen
News of the fishermen’s arrest sparked outrage among fishermen’s associations in Rameswaram. These organizations have demanded that the Central Government intervene immediately and negotiate with Sri Lankan authorities to secure the release of the arrested fishermen and the seized boat. Fishermen’s representatives state that the dispute regarding the maritime boundary between India and Sri Lanka has long been a serious issue for fishermen from Tamil Nadu.
In protest against the arrests, mechanized boat fishermen from Rameswaram decided not to venture out to sea for three days. This boycott was announced to continue from Friday through Sunday. Fishermen’s organizations have stated that the recurring arrests and seizure of boats adversely affect the economic well-being of the fishermen’s families. They have demanded concrete diplomatic-level talks between India and Sri Lanka to find a permanent solution to this problem.
Long-standing Maritime Boundary Dispute
A dispute over fishing rights in the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar has persisted between India and Sri Lanka for a long time. Fishermen from Rameswaram, Mandapam, and nearby coastal areas in Tamil Nadu frequently venture to Katchatheevu and its surrounding waters to fish. Incidents of the Sri Lankan Navy arresting Indian fishermen and seizing their boats—on charges of entering Sri Lankan waters—have occurred periodically.
According to data from the Government of India, Sri Lankan authorities arrested 526 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and seized 72 boats in 2024. Similarly, in 2023, the arrest of 220 fishermen and the seizure of 33 boats were recorded. This makes it evident that the issue is not limited to a single incident but is part of a long-standing fishing-related conflict between the two nations.
Fishermen’s organizations maintain that mere arrests and boat seizures do not resolve the problem. They argue that both countries should agree on a mechanism that safeguards the livelihoods of fishermen in traditional fishing grounds and ensures a humane approach in cases where maritime boundaries are breached. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan stance is that the entry of Indian trawlers into its waters impacts the livelihoods of local fishermen and depletes marine resources; consequently, action is taken against boats that violate the maritime boundary. It is precisely these differences that keep the dispute complex.
The recent arrest of nine fishermen from Rameswaram has once again posed a challenge for the central and state governments to find a permanent solution to this long-standing dispute. The fishermen and their families are now keenly watching to see whether the Indian government can negotiate with Sri Lankan authorities to secure the early release of the arrested fishermen and the seized boat.
