COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan navy on Wednesday arrested 12 Tamil Nadu fishermen belonging to Pamban, while they were fishing in Sri Lankan waters off Talaimannar, Sri Lankan naval spokesman, Capt.Akram Alavi said.
“The fishermen had come in a trawler and a country boat,” Alavi said.
The boats have been impounded and the fishermen handed over to the Fisheries Department for legal action, he added.
Meanwhile, the seven fishermen seized off Delft Island on Tuesday were produced in court at Kankesanthurai and remanded till January 3, an official said.
According to Capt.Alavi, the number of fishermen from Tamil Nadu poaching in Sri Lankan waters had dwindled but is increasing now, despite the threat of arrest and impounding of boats.
152 boats and 19 Tamil Nadu fishermen are currently in custody in Sri Lanka.