Navy arrests 37 fishermen poaching in Lankan waters

Navy  seized  five poaching trawlers and arrested 37 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters off the northern and north western seas over the weekend.

The Sri Lanka Navy conducted special operations to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from  Sri Lankan waters in the evening of 28th October 2023 and today morning. 

The separate operations led to the seizure of 05 Indian trawlers with 37 Indian fishermen  poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Mannar as well as near the Delft Island, Jaffna.

The Navy remains committed to conducting routine patrols and operations within Sri Lankan 

In similar operations, the North Central Naval Command and Northern Naval Command  deployed its Fast Attack Craft, Inshore Patrol Craft and small craft to chase away a cluster of  Indian poaching trawlers, after having spotted they were engaging in illegal fishing in Sri  Lankan waters on 28th October 2023 and today morning.

In these operations, the North Central Naval Command held 03 Indian poaching trawlers that  continued to remain in island waters off Mannar, with 23 Indian fishers aboard. In the same  vein the Northern Naval Command apprehended 02 Indian poaching trawlers with 14 Indian  fishermen who were poaching near the Delft Island. 

The apprehended Indian fishermen (37) and the poaching trawlers (05) were brought to the  Talaimannar Pier and Kankasanthurai harbour and they will be handed over to the Talaimannar  and Jaffna Fisheries Inspectors for onward legal action. 

Including the poaching trawlers held in this operation, the Sri Lanka Navy has seized 27 Indian  poaching trawlers and apprehended 174 Indian fishermen thus far in 2023. Following these  apprehensions, the poaching trawlers and fishermen have been handed over to relevant  authorities for legal action.