Fishermen in the northern province raised black flags in their boats as they protested at sea on 29 July against poaching by Tamil Nadu trawlers and authorities’ inaction to prevent swindling of their resources.

The TNPF-supported agitation started from Kurikattuwan Jetty in Jaffna, alleging encroachments by South Indian fishermen throughout the week by using harmful methods.

Leading protestor Annalingam Annarasa said complaints to the police by all fisheries associations had been left unheeded by successive governments.

The Navy said a week earlier that it nabbed nine Indian fishermen with their boat while fishing illegally north of Talaimannar.

The livelihood of northern fishermen has beendealt a deadly blow by the Indians, who arrive in up to 50 trawlers, whereas the Navy managed to seize just one of them in this instance, said protestor A. Pushpakumar, a Jaffna University student.

On 19 July, fishermen at Pungudutivu islet staged a march against continuing Indian poaching and destruction to their fishing nets.

Just after the president’s first official visit to India, the government announced there would be no more talks at political level with regard to fishermen’s issues, which was echoed by fisheries minister Ramalingam Chandrasekara in Jaffna in December 2024.

Talks between ministry officials would continue, but on technical and vocational matters only, he