⚠️ Seafood Industry Urges Govt to Stop Illegal Indian Trawler Incursions

The Seafood Exporters’ Association of Sri Lanka (SEASL) has called for immediate government action to block the expected resumption of illegal cross-border fishing by Tamil Nadu trawlers around June 15, warning of severe economic and environmental fallout. • Key Threat: Continued illegal bottom trawling in Northern and North-Western waters causes irreversible damage to marine ecosystems, depletes critical seafood stocks, and directly threatens the livelihoods of thousands of local fishing communities. • Export Impact: The industry warns that these destructive practices compromise Sri Lanka’s ability to supply quality seafood to global markets, threatening international buyer confidence and access to key destinations. • Compounding Pressures: Exporters are already facing intense strain from rising operational costs, existing US tariffs, and the looming threat of an additional 12.5% tariff under Section 301 measures. • National Context: SEASL emphasizes that protecting national fisheries resources is a matter of economic urgency to safeguard an industry that generates vital foreign exchange earnings and supports hundreds of thousands of livelihoods. SEASL President Dilan Fernando urged the President, the Fisheries Ministry, and the Sri Lanka Navy to treat maritime boundary defense as a matter of the highest national priority.