Four Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy for alleged poaching

Colombo: The Sri Lankan Navy arrested four Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in their territorial waters.

As per the Sri Lankan Navy, the Fast Attack Craft of the Northern Naval Command of Colombo arrested the fishermen about 9 Nm Northwest of Kovilan on Sunday.

Along with the Indian fishermen, the Navy also took a fishing dhow into its custody.

The fishermen were taken to the SLNS Elara naval base and will be handed over to the Jaffna Assistant Fisheries Director for further legal action.

Earlier on June 13, at least seven Indian fishermen were reportedly arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy on for trespassing in their waters.

The fishermen from Mandapam near Rameswaram were fishing at Neduntheevu Island in the Palk Straits, close to the island nation's coast

Two Fast Attack Craft belonging to the Northern Naval Command arrested seven Indian fishermen along with two fishing trawlers for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and engaged in bottom trawling in Sri Lankan territorial waters about 12.5 Nm and 9.5 Nm off Northwest of Delft Island on Sunday (July, 12), the Colombo Page quoted the Navy website.

Sri Lanka recently passed a bill that allows the authorities to imprison bottom-trawling fishermen for two years and fine Rs 50,000.