The Sri Lanka Navy has apprehended 32 Indian fishermen along with 05 trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Talaimannar and near the Delft Island in two separate operations conducted on Wednesday night.

The Navy continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers, taking into account the impact of those practices on the livelihood of local fishermen.

As an extension of these operations, the North Central and Northern Naval Commands had deployed their Inshore Petrol Craft and Fast Attack Craft to chase away a cluster of Indian poaching trawlers, having spotted they were engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

Two Indian poaching trawlers were first impounded along with 07 Indian fishermen off Talaimannar, followed by the seizure of 03 more Indian poaching trawlers with 25 fishermen aboard off the Delft Island.

The 02 Indian poaching trawlers with 07 fishermen apprehended by the North Central Naval Command were brought to the Talaimannar Pier while the other 03 Indian poaching trawlers with 25 fishermen held by the Northern Naval Command were brought to Kankesanturai Harbour, the navy said. They were handed over to the Fisheries Inspectors of Mannar and Mailadi for onward legal proceedings.

Including the recent apprehension, the Navy has held 23 Indian poaching trawlers and 178 Indian fishermen in island waters thus far in 2024, and handed them over to authorities for legal action.