Another batch of 12 Indian fishermen held for poaching

Sri Lanka Navy and Coast Guard patrol craft attached to the Northern Naval Command whilst on routine patrol, arrested 12 Indian fishermen and three fishing trawlers for poaching in the Sri Lankan territorial waters last night, Navy said. Accordingly, the arrests were made in the island’s territorial waters respectively about 9.5, 7 and 6 nm west off the Delft Island.

These fishermen had ventured into Sri Lankan waters and practiced illegal bottom trawling which is considered as a destructive and banned fishing practice.

The arrested fishermen along with their trawlers and fishing gear to the naval base in Karainagar and fishermen to Kankesanthurei. They are due to be handed over to the Assistant Fisheries Director in Jaffna for onward legal action.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Navy on 03rd August facilitated repatriation of 77 Indian fishermen, who were released from Sri Lankan custody as a gesture of goodwill, after detaining them for poaching in the island’s territorial waters.