Chennai: Reaffirming Tamil Nadu’s stand on the decades-long maritime dispute with Sri Lanka, chief minister M K Stalin on Wednesday said retrieving Katchatheevu remains the only solution to permanently end state fishermen’s woes.At the inauguration of the 272.8 crore tuna fishing harbour in Thiruvottiyur, India’s first dedicated tuna (soorai) harbour, Stalin said the state passed a special resolution in the assembly demanding that the Katchatheevu islet be retrieved from Sri Lanka. “Over the past four years, 185 boats and 1,383 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy in 97 incidents. I wrote 76 letters to the Prime Minister and the external affairs minister demanding their release. Our MPs continue to raise this issue in the Parliament,” he said.Thanks to these efforts, 1,354 fishermen were released, he said. “There are 29 still in custody. And 229 boats seized since 2018 have not been returned. We are continuing both political and diplomatic efforts,” Stalin said. Most of the affected fishermen are from Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, and Thoothukudi districts.To soften the economic blow to fishermen, the state disbursed 6.84 crore in relief to 129 mechanised and 26 country boat owners from coastal districts. The chief minister announced that the compensation earlier 5 lakh per mechanised boat is now enhanced to 8 lakh. Just this year, 6.02 crore was sanctioned as revised relief. Stalin listed several other initiatives undertaken for fisherfolk: 518.5 crore disbursed as fishing ban relief, subsidised diesel increased to 19,000 litres for mechanised boats, seaweed cultivation support for 1,863 fisherwomen, 1,528 crore disbursed as loans to 1.2 lakh fisherfolk, artificial reef modules installed in 49 coastal villages, 127 crore sanctioned for an Integrated Seaweed Park, new and upgraded landing centres, hatcheries, training centres, and harbour projects worth over 1,849 crore sanctioned over four years.The Thiruvottiyur tuna harbour will handle 60,000 tonnes of fish annually, providing employment to 3,000 people and benefiting 6,250 fishers directly.