Two poaching Indian trawlers held with 25 fishermen in North

\At least 25 Indian fishermen along with two of their trawlers taken into Naval custody yesterday for engaging in poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Point Pedro, Navy said. 

The arrests came after the Northern Naval Command deployed its Fast Attack Craft to chase away a cluster of Indian poaching trawlers, after having spotted they were engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters in the dark hours on Saturday, Navy said. In this operation, naval personnel held 02 Indian poaching trawlers with 25 Indian fishermen, continued to remain in island waters off Point Pedro.

The apprehended Indian fishermen (25) and the poaching trawlers (02) were brought to the Kankasanthurai harbour and they will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for onward legal action.

With the recent arrests, the Sri Lanka Navy has seized 33 Indian poaching trawlers and apprehended 220 Indian fishermen thus far in 2023. Following these apprehensions, the poaching trawlers and fishermen have been handed over to relevant authorities for legal action.