Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne on Sunday said the government had decided to confiscate trawlers used by the Indian fishermen who are arrested for venturing into Sri Lankan waters.

“We will confiscate the trawlers and other fishing gear, but we will release the fishermen,” he told The Hindu.

The Minister’s comments follows two separate arrests of Indian fishermen off Thalaimannar and Delft islands (Neduntheevu).

While a total of 41 fishermen were arrested off Thalaimannar, as many as 32 were caught engaging in allegedly illegal fishing activist off Delft islands.

A total of 16 trawlers – eight from each group – were also seized, according to Sri Lankan Navy spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya.

The fishermen were likely to be handed over to magistrate courts in Mannar and Jaffna on Monday, for further legal action.

The Palk Bay conflict an important concern in Indo-Lanka relations over the last few years. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa met in New Delhi recently and discussed the issue — besides other bilateral matters — they underscored the need to address it, for it affects livelihoods of fishermen in both countries.

Fishermen of both countries have been engaged in discussions, but the second round of talks held in Colombo last month ended in a deadlock, as the fishermen could not arrive at a consensus over fishing methods and allegations of trespassing.