Indian trawlers involved in illegal fishing to be auctioned in Jaffna

At least 121 Indian mechanised bottom trawlers that were seized by Sri Lankan authorities over the last three years for engaging in trawling practices in the country’s territorial waters are to be auctioned following judicial directives issued by Northern Magistrate courts this week.

Accordingly, 94 trawlers detained since 2015 in Mannar and another 27 trawlers seized in Kayts are to be auctioned after the Department of Fisheries indicated to the respective Courts that it has long-standing anchoring of vessels has become an issue in the local fisheries harbours.

Mannar Magistrate Courts and Kayts Magistrate Courts issued directives to the Fisheries Department to auction the trawlers immediately after the Court was told that most of  the vessels are not in a good condition due to anchoring in fisheries harbours for longtime.

On Thursday, the Mannar Magistrate Courts issued directives to either auction or destroy 27 Indian bottom trawlers after the District Fisheries Department informed the Court of difficulties faced by local fisherfolk due to longtime anchoring of trawlers for years.

The Fisheries department filed legal action against those Indian fishermen who were arrested in recent years by the Navy for engaging in bottom trawling, an illegal fishing method banned in the country along with seizing their mechanised trawlers. Time to time, Indian fishermen are released on humanitarian grounds following the interventions by governments of the both countries with suspended sentences imposed by the Magistrate courts.

In 2018, among the total number of detained Indian trawlers of 37, some ten vessels in good condition were taken back by respective owners after the Court granted approval.  Rest of them were left behind as they were partially or completely damaged due to being anchored in harbours for years.

During the visit to New Delhi in November last year, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced that the government will release all the Indian fishing vessels under custody, according to a joint statement issued by both governments. (N. Lohathayalan)