RAMANATHAPURAM: 18 Indian fishermen from Pamban were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in the SL waters. Lankan officials also impounded two boats, which were handed over to the SL fisheries inspector for further action.
Over 90 boats from Pamban ventured into the sea on Tuesday. Sources said a few of them, involved in fishing, were chased away by the Sri Lankan navy at nighttime. About 18 fishermen in 2 boats, however, were detained. Sources said that the arrested fishermen were involved in fishing between Dhanushkodi and Talai Mannar seas.
According to sources from the fisheries department, among the two boats detained was from Pamban area. In the first boat, the fishermen were Vijayakumar(45), Thansilal (28), Yogesh (39), Nijanson (26), Arockiyam (40), Innasi Piranes (23), Anthony Adimai(28), Andran (50), and Kemond (39). And in the second boat the fishermen were Pitchai (42), Justin (40), Innasi (38), Sathish (26), Lesbo (27), Stalin (38), Boomi (25), Batcha (25), and Sween (32).
The apprehended fishermen were taken to Talaimannar Pier, where they were handed over to the Talaimannar fisheries inspectors. They were remanded in judicial custody following court proceedings.
SL Navy sources said that the Navy conducts regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices by foreign fishing trawlers, taking into account the consequences of these practices on the livelihood of local fishermen and marine resources of the country.
The North Central Naval Command deployed its Inshore Patrol Craft to chase away a cluster of Indian poaching trawlers, after having spotted they were engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters on Jan 16. In this operation, naval personnel held 02 Indian poaching trawlers with 18 Indian fishermen and continued to remain in island waters off Mannar. They were brought to the Thalpadu Pier in Mannar and they will be handed over to the Talaimannar Fisheries Inspector for onward legal action.