Colombo: Nine Indian fishermen were arrested and their trawler seized by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing in the island nation’s waters, authorities said Thursday.
The fishermen were arrested near Urumalei Point in Talaimannar Wednesday night, the Navy said.
According to a Navy release, the trawler had allegedly crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) into Sri Lankan waters and was engaged in bottom trawling when it was seized.
“The apprehended fishermen (nine) and the fishing trawler will be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Mannar for onward legal proceedings,” it said.
The Gulf of Mannar ecosystem surrounding Mannar Island and Adam’s Bridge is recognised internationally and locally as a high-priority marine biodiversity and conservation cluster, subject to specific fisheries management and environmental protection regulations, the release said.
The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters.
The Palk Strait, a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.
Fishermen from both countries are arrested frequently for inadvertently trespassing into each other’s waters.
In the last week of July, the Sri Lankan navy arrested nine Indian fishermen and seized their trawler for allegedly poaching in the island nation’s waters.
According to official data, this year, as of April 15, 128 Indian fishermen were arrested, with 18 trawlers being seized by the Sri Lankan Navy for alleged poaching.