Sri Lanka in continuing talks with India over bottom trawling, Nalinda tells Parliament

The Government is continuing diplomatic discussions with India to resolve the long-running issue of Indian bottom trawlers entering Sri Lankan waters, Health Minister Dr Nalinda Jayatissa told Parliament on Friday.

Jayatissa said the matter had been raised repeatedly with the Indian Government, including during meetings with Indian ministers, officials and diplomats visiting Sri Lanka.

He said further official discussions were planned and that there were encouraging signs that the issue could be resolved.

“This is a problem that has existed for a long time. We are now discussing how it can be resolved,” he said.

Jayatissa said the Government’s approach was to protect Sri Lanka’s marine resources, fish stocks and fishing communities, with the Fisheries Ministry and Foreign Ministry working together on the issue.

The remarks came in response to concerns raised in Parliament over the damage caused by bottom trawling. The practice involves dragging heavy fishing gear along the seabed and has been blamed for destroying marine habitats and depleting fish stocks.

Jayatissa said 43 Indian trawlers had been seized in 2025 and another 23 in 2026.

He said declining fish stocks were a serious problem for Sri Lanka and had also been highlighted in research by the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency.

“The country’s fisheries resources have been declining gradually over a number of years. We need a solution to this,” he said.

Jayatissa added that the Government was providing assistance to fishing communities, including relief following increases in fuel prices, while working to strengthen the fisheries industry.

During the debate, an opposition MP also questioned the Government over an earlier proposal to introduce a digital application that would help fishermen identify areas where fish were concentrated, reducing unnecessary fuel expenditure.

Jayatissa said efforts to support fishermen were continuing, while also referring to broader Government action against corruption and malpractice.

The Minister also rejected suggestions that visits by Indian nationals to Sri Lanka were connected to the fisheries dispute, saying large numbers of Indian tourists had visited the country under successive governments and that such visits should not be treated as unusual.