Kasimedu fishermen go on an indefinite strike, ask the government. to recover captured ships in Andhra Pradesh

Community leader MD Dayalan said the state government had not announced financial assistance to ship owners whose vessels were held captive. (Photo file) | Photo credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

Fishermen at the Kasimedu fishing port have decided to go on indefinite strike and protest, demanding that the state government take steps to recover the seven boats that have been held captive in Andhra Pradesh for over a hundred days. The open-ended protest will begin in about ten days after the ships that have embarked on long voyages return to port.

Manivannan, Chennai Visai Padagu Meenavar Nala Sangam, an association of larger horsepower fishing boats, said the decision was taken after a meeting of all boat owners, vendors, loaders, ice sellers, net menders and other stakeholders involved in the fishing business in Kasimedu.

“The boats were caught in April just after the annual fishing ban was lifted. It was in response to boats belonging to Karajkal being held captive being quietly snuck away. Union territory boats were seen fishing very close to the coast and spoiling the catches of artisanal crafts,” said ME Raghupathi, also of the association.

Community leader MD Dayalan said till date the state government has not announced financial assistance to the owners who are all boat owners. “Thousands of fishermen from Andhra Pradesh work as laborers on our boats and therefore Tamil Nadu boats fish off their shores. We fish beyond 5 nautical miles,” he said. Nanjil Ravi, another community leader, said the state government must seek the Centre’s intervention to free the boats. “Just as the government has taken up the Cauvery water issue, this too must be taken up with equal seriousness as Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu disputes are nothing new. Even in Pulicat, fishing rights are an issue between the two states,” he pointed out.

Other fishermen were of the opinion that the state government must stop the sale of fish from Andhra Pradesh in Chintadripet and Vanagaram fish markets.

Although almost every year fishing boats from Kasimedu are detained in villages in Andhra Pradesh and released after paying a ransom, this time with opposition parties in the state taking up the matter, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said he would stand with the fishermen of his state, another boat owner explained.

Published – 1 Oct 2026 0:40 AM IST