Nine Indian fishermen arrested for poaching in Sri Lankan waters
July 23, 2024 10:22 pm
A total of nine Indian fishermen have been arrested along with two trawlers while poaching in Sri Lankan waters off the Delft Island, Jaffna.
The interception was made while the Sri Lanka Navy and Coast Guard conducted a special operation to chase away Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters in the wee hours of today (23).
The Northern Naval Command had deployed Fast Attack Craft of the Coast Guard to chase away a cluster of Indian trawlers, having spotted they were engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters off the Delft Island.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 02 Indian trawlers and apprehension of 09 Indian fishermen who continued to remain in Sri Lankan waters.
The seized trawlers together with Indian fishermen were brought to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and they will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for onward legal proceedings, the navy said.
With this recent apprehension, the Navy said it has seized a total of 37 Indian trawlers and apprehended 261 Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters in 2024, and subsequently handed them over to authorities for legal proceedings.
