A special naval operation was carried out last night (March 30) to chase away a large number of Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters northwest of Kovilan Point Lighthouse in Karainagar, Jaffna, the Sri Lanka Navy said in a statement.
The navy has seized a trawler with 03 Indian fishermen for poaching in island waters through the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
Having spotted a large cluster of Indian poaching vessels in Sri Lankan waters northwest of Kovilan Point Lighthouse, the navy had deployed a Fast Attack Craft of the 4th Fast Attack Flotilla (4 FAF), attached to the Northern Naval Command to chase away those poaching vessels from Sir Lankan waters.
In this operation, one poaching vessel remaining in island waters was held with 03 Indian fishermen and their fishing gear.
The seized vessel and the fishermen in custody have been brought to Mailadi fishery harbour in Kankesanturai and arrangements have been made to hand them over to the Fisheries Inspector of Jaffna, through Sri Lanka Coast Guard, for onward legal action.
Sri Lanka Navy also seized an Indian poaching vessel with four Indian fishermen who were poaching in Sri Lankan waters south of the island of Delft in Jaffna on March 28.
