Fishermen were thus free to visit the island for rest, for drying their nets, and for the annual St. Anthony's festival.
But Indian fishermen do not have rights to fishing around the island as it is within the territorial waters of Sri Lanka.
But as part of the Sri Lankan civil war, this arrangement has led to many difficulties with the Sri Lankan Navy that was deployed to prevent smuggling of weapons by the rebel group LTTE.
The island is culturally important to fishermen of Tamil Nadu and has led to agitations by Tamil politicians demanding that India should claim sovereignty.
