In response to a fundamental rights petition filed against illegal bottom trawling by South Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters, the Supreme Court in Colombo has included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a respondent. Sri Lankan fishermen have urged authorities to prevent Indian fishermen from engaging in illegal bottom trawling in the island nation’s territorial waters.
The Sri Lanka Navy has detained 23 Indian trawlers and 178 Indian fishermen for allegedly fishing in Sri Lankan waters in 2024, handing them over to authorities for legal action. The petitioners estimate that around 50,000 local fishermen have been affected by illegal fishing by their Indian counterparts, resulting in an annual loss of SLR 4-7 billion and environmental damage due to bottom trawling. The case will be next heard on August 5, with the petitioners seeking court orders to prevent Indian fishermen from engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan territorial waters.