…first detection since PPD incident

The Navy on Wednesday (13) intercepted a poaching Indian fishing trawler off Kovilan Lighthouse, Karainagar along with six fishers.The detection and arrests had been made during an operation to chase away a cluster of poaching trawlers, a navy official said, adding that it was the first such operation since the incident off Point Pedro (PPD) on the night of Dec 09.

The Navy took two trawlers into custody after fishermen attacked Navy personnel when they attempted to board one of the poaching vessels.

The six fishermen and the trawler apprehended on Wednesday were brought to the Kankesanthurai harbour and handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for legal action. Since the beginning of this year, over 30 Indian trawlers and nearly 230 fishers were taken into custody while poaching in Sri Lankan waters. (SF)