Navy nabs 12 Indian fishers for poaching in SL waters

The Sri Lankan Navy took into custody 12 Indian fishermen and seized three trawlers on Saturday night (13), while they were poaching in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

The arrests were made in the seas off the Kovilan Lighthouse in Kareinagar, Jaffna, the Navy said.The Northern Naval Command of the Sri Lanka Navy made the arrests during an operation to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters, the navy said.

The Indian fishermen and trawlers were brought to the Kankesanthurai harbour and they would be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for legal action, the Navy said.

These foreign fishing trawlers are having negative impacts on the livelihood of local fishermen and the marine resources of the South Asian country, the Navy said.

SLN arrested 343 people engaged in illegal activities and confiscated thousands of kilos of contraband in 2023, the Navy said last week. 

(RK)