Pungudutivu fishermen protest against Indian trawler incursions

Fishermen in Pungudutivu, Jaffna, held a protest on Monday against incursions by Indian trawlers into Sri Lankan waters, the latest in a series of demonstrations across the Northern Province over a dispute that has steadily eroded the livelihoods of Eelam Tamil fishing communities.

The protest was organised by the Pungudutivu St. Savariyar Fishermens Association.

The fishermen said their livelihoods had been severely affected by the incursions, alleging that within the past week alone crab nets worth several million rupees had been completely destroyed by Indian trawlers.

Expressing concern over the continued damage to their gear and livelihoods, the Pungudutivu fishermen called for immediate action to prevent the incursions and to protect the rights and livelihoods of local fishing communities.

At the centre of the long-running dispute is bottom trawling, a practice used by trawlers from Tamil Nadu that drags heavy nets along the seabed, damaging coral beds and fish breeding grounds and depleting stocks on which small-scale northern fishermen depend. Trawling was outlawed in Sri Lankan waters under the 2017 Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, but fishing communities in the North-East say the ban has never been properly enforced.

The issue has sparked repeated protests across the islands off Jaffna, from Pungudutivu to Nainathivu, Mandaithivu and Delft, with fishermen accusing the Sri Lankan state of failing to safeguard their rights while prioritising its diplomatic relationship with India. Fishing unions have also accused the navy of selective enforcement, moving swiftly against local fishermen over minor infractions while appearing unwilling or unable to deter hundreds of Indian trawlers crossing the maritime boundary.

Tamil representatives have called for diplomatic engagement with Tamil Nadu towards a lasting settlement, one that protects the fishing rights of both communities while ending the depletion of the North-Easts marine resources.