The Sri Lanka Navy says it conducted a special operation to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters in the late hours last night (16) and that the operation led to the seizure of 02 Indian trawlers and apprehension of 21 Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters off the Delft Island.
The Northern Naval Command deployed Fast Attack Craft to chase away a cluster of Indian poaching 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 poaching trawlers and apprehension of 21 Indian fishermen who continued to remain in Sri Lankan waters.
The seized trawlers together with 21 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 says it has seized a total of 18 Indian poaching trawlers and 146 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters in 2024, and subsequently handed them over to authorities for legal proceedings.
