MADURAI: Sri Lankan Navy arrested 16 Indian fishermen for alleged Violation of its maritime boundary on Wednesday night. Two boats that the fishermen were using were also seized by the Sri Lankan Navy.
According to the Fisheries department, two mechanised boats from Rameshwaram and Mandapam consisting of 16 fishermen went out fishing in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday. Later in the night hours, the boat from Rameshwaram consisting of 12 fishermen and the other boat from Mandapam consist four fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy alleged violation of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
Official sources said that the arrested 16 fishermen along with two mechanised boats and their stock of fish were taken to Sri Lanka for production before the court.
According to information released by the Sri Lankan Navy, during patrols carried out by Fast Attack Craft of the 4th Fast Attack Flotilla (4 FAF), attached to the Northern and North Central Naval Commands, in Sri Lankan waters northwest of the islands of Delft in Jaffna and Iranativu in Mannar, The Navy took hold of the two Indian trawlers with 16 Indian fishermen while ‘bottom trawling’ in island waters, through the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
The Navy also seized a stock of fish caught illegally through this fishing method.
The operations were conducted adhering to COVID-19 protocols and arrangements are being made to hand over the Indian poaching vessels and fishermen held to relevant authorities.