Sittwe Fishermen’s Fishing Rights Banned Again

Narinjara, Sittwe, May 22, 2026

Fishing has been banned once again in the coastal waters of Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, due to human trafficking and security concerns.

Since the outbreak of active conflict in Rakhine, local Rakhine fishermen have faced a continuous ban on fishing rights.

Initially, the Myanmar military permitted Muslim fishermen from outside the city to continue operating to prevent severe food shortages. However, authorities have now extended the ban to include Muslim fishermen as well.

"When the fighting first started, all fishing rights were suspended," a Sittwe resident explained.

"Eventually, Muslims from outlying villages were allowed to fish. They would bring their catch to the city markets to sell, which became our primary source of fish in Sittwe. Now that they are banned too, fish has become incredibly scarce."

Sittwe residents have been prohibited from both deep-sea and near-shore fishing since major clashes broke out on November 13, 2023.

To mitigate the resulting food scarcity, the military had previously granted inshore fishing exemptions to Muslim fishermen living in nearby villages, including Thae Chaung, Ohn Taw Gyi, Ohn Taw Chey, Pallin Pyin, and Aung Daing.

"Muslim fishermen have faced these new inshore restrictions since the end of April," the resident added.

"I heard the shutdown is an attempt to stop Muslim infiltration from Bangladesh. There are also rumors that local Muslim boats were sunk by infiltrators, but I do not know the exact details."

According to local sources, the comprehensive fishing ban has caused fish prices in the city markets to double or triple.

As fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar military continues outside Sittwe, frequent exchanges of heavy artillery have prompted the military to tighten security across all areas under its control.

Residents of Sittwe are currently restricted from leaving the city and remain heavily dependent on essential food items—such as rice, cooking oil, and salt—shipped via cargo vessels from Yangon.