11 Indian Fishermen Arrested By Sri Lankan Navy For Alleged Poaching

NEW DELHI: The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested at least 11 fishermen from India for allegedly poaching in the territorial water of the country.

The Navy has also seized three fishing trawlers used for illegal poaching in India's territorial river as per the official statement issued on Tuesday 8 February.

The 11 fishermen were detained by the Navy near Defit Island located in the northern part of the country. Further, the Navy claimed that the fishermen were indulging in bottom trawling and collecting fish illegally using the net.

The fishermen community reacted to the incident with extreme fury as they denied their colleague's violation of maritime boundary.

In a statement by the Sri Lankan Navy, it mentioned that the arrests of the fishermen are part of the Navy's patrols to remove illegal fishing prevailing in Sri Lankan waters. The initiative aims to decrease the impact on the local fishermen from poaching along with the sustainability of fishery resources in Sri Lanka.

The arrest of 11 fishermen comes as the local immigration authorities are making arrangements to resettle the earlier arrested 56 Indian fishermen who got released from Sri Lankan Court in the northern Jaffna peninsula in the month of January this year.

The prison officials informed that on Monday 7 February all 56 Indian fishermen were moved to an immigration detention centre after the completion of the covid quarantine period.

On Sunday 6 February, the spokesperson and Prison Superintendent stated that since the Indian fishermen were released by the court on 25 January 2022, they were kept in a prison-run covid quarantine centre in Iyakkachchi located in the Northern Province to complete the isolation period.

Earlier on 1st February, a total of 21 fishermen from India were detained in relation to illegal poaching of fish and the Point Pedro Magistrate court have ordered them to be kept under police custody till 21 February.

Reportedly there are numerous incidents of the Sri Lankan Navy firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait between Tamil Nadu and Jaffna district and also seizing the boats.

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