PRESS RELEASE Government of Tamil Nadu takes all necessary steps to resolve the issues faced by Chennai and Andhra Pradesh fishermen in fishing at sea, enabling fishermen to fish peacefully ---------------------------------------------------------------- Fishing boats operating out of the Chennai Fishing Harbour for nearly 50 years engage in fishing activity as far as the deep-sea fishing zones of the Bay of Bengal east of Chennai. In particular, about 200 multi-day fishing mechanised boats venture into the coastal waters off Andhra Pradesh. As fishermen from Tamil Nadu, and particularly from the Union Territory of Puducherry, have been fishing in the Andhra Pradesh sea area, a fear has recently arisen among Andhra Pradesh fishermen that fish stocks in that region will be depleted. As a result, protests by Andhra Pradesh fishermen demanding a ban on neighbouring-State fishing boats operating in Andhra waters led to law-and-order problems there. Consequently, Andhra Pradesh government officials have been detaining Chennai fishing boats found fishing within the 12-nautical-mile limit, which, under the Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and other Maritime Zones Act, 1976, falls within the jurisdiction of the State Government. At present, 7 mechanised boats belonging to Chennai have been detained and are being held at the Nellore fishing harbour in Andhra Pradesh. Based on the representations of representatives of Chennai fishing boat owners' associations regarding this matter, and with a view to finding an amicable solution to these issues, the Government took steps to expeditiously convene a District Level Committee comprising officials from both States, constituted under orders issued by the Government of Tamil Nadu. Following this, consultation meetings were held in various stages with representatives of Chennai fishing boat owners' associations, at the level of the Chennai District Collector, under the chairmanship of the Hon'ble Minister for Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare, and under the chairmanship of the Hon'ble Minister for Finance, Pension and Pension Benefits, Planning and Development. Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department officials were also sent directly to the State of Andhra Pradesh, and it was urged that the Tamil Nadu fishing boats be released immediately and that necessary steps be taken to enable Tamil Nadu fishermen to fish peacefully, as usual, in the Andhra sea area. Subsequently, in order to discuss the issues between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh fishermen and arrive at an amicable resolution, an inter-state meeting was held on 11.07.2026 at Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, attended by Tamil Nadu's Director of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare and the Chennai District Collector, along with other senior officials, as well as the Commissioner of Fisheries of Andhra Pradesh, the Nellore District Collector, and other senior officials of that State. At this meeting, it was requested that the Chennai fishing boats detained in Andhra Pradesh be released immediately and that, keeping in view the livelihood of Chennai fishermen, they be permitted to fish as usual in the Andhra Pradesh sea area. Thus, the Government of Tamil Nadu, in coordination with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, continues to take all necessary steps to enable Chennai-based mechanised fishing boats to continue fishing peacefully in the Andhra-Tamil Nadu sea areas where they customarily operate. Director Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department Issued By: - Director, Department of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9