As many as 296 Indian fishermen are in Pakistani custody, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.
In a written reply in the Upper House, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said 296 Indian fishermen and 327 boats continue to be in Pakistani custody.
The minister said the government has taken up the issue of the release of Indian fishermen and their boats regularly with Pakistan.
Most recently, he said, the government had raised the issue of fishermen with Pakistan at the Home Secretary-level talks on July 3 and 4 this year in New Delhi and the two sides had agreed to release on August 14-15 eligible prisoners and fishermen and to release boats except trawlers in each other's custody.
"However, Pakistan released only 100 Indian fishermen on August 13, 2007," Mukherjee said.