Chennai, Dec 23 (NationPress) Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has reached out to Union Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar, calling for immediate intervention from the Centre through suitable diplomatic measures after the Sri Lankan Navy took into custody 12 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and confiscated their fishing vessel.

In his correspondence, the Chief Minister highlighted the detention of a mechanized fishing boat from Rameswaram along with its crew on Tuesday. The fishermen had set out for fishing from the Rameswaram fish landing centre in Ramanathapuram district on December 22 using an unregistered mechanized trawler.

This incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by Tamil Nadu fishermen due to frequent arrests and boat confiscations in the Palk Strait area.

Officials from the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department reported that the fishermen were intercepted while fishing in waters between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar. They were subsequently taken, along with their trawler, to a Sri Lankan naval port for further legal action.

Sri Lankan authorities have accused these fishermen of illegally crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing within Sri Lankan waters.

Indian fishermen, however, have consistently disputed these claims, highlighting the narrow and disputed nature of the fishing zone in the Palk Strait.

CM Stalin emphasized that the ongoing arrests and confiscations of boats have severely impacted the fishermen's livelihoods, causing significant distress within coastal fishing communities.

He urged the Centre to convene the Joint Working Group and initiate talks with fishermen promptly to reach a lasting and agreeable resolution to this prolonged issue.

Currently, a total of 248 fishing boats and 62 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, including 18 apprehended in 2024, remain in Sri Lankan custody, the Chief Minister reported.

He also called for immediate actions to prevent further detentions and to ensure the prompt release of all detained fishermen and their vessels.

Fisheries department officials indicated that approximately 450 fishing tokens were issued from the Rameswaram fishing jetty on December 22, ahead of the Christmas and New Year period, signaling increased fishing activity in the region.

The confiscated trawler is reportedly owned by Jothibas from Manthoppu in Thangachimadam. Among those arrested are Prabhat (28), James Heiton (29), and Antony (32), all of whom are the sole providers for their families.

The recent arrests have reignited calls from both the state government and fishing communities for ongoing diplomatic engagement to protect fishermen and ensure their livelihood security.