Customs Preventive Unit (Rameswaram) and Marine Police of Coastal Security Group (CSG) have seized 15 fishing nets of Sri Lankan fishermen which were found washed ashore on Rameswaram and Pamban seashores.
Customs Superintendent M. Pugazhendi said Customs officials were on night patrolling on Thursday when they found eight fishing nets washed ashore on the seashore near Rameswaram fishing jetty.
Initial investigation revealed that the nets, weighing about 180 kg, belonged to the fishermen of northern Sri Lanka and they could have been washed ashore due to gusty winds, he said.
The nets would be auctioned and added to the Customs revenue, J. Karunakaran, Inspector, said.
Similarly, a team of the Marine Police, led by Sub-Inspector Jothi Basu, seized seven fishing nets, also belonging to the fishermen of northern Sri Lanka. The team seized three fishing nets from Mugamadiyarpuram seashore and four from Therkkuvadi seashore in Pamban.
The Marine Police handed over the nets to the office of the Assistant Director of Fisheries,. The nets would be handed over to the Lankan fishermen if they lodged a complaint and came in search of them, Mr. Jothi Basu added.
Source: The Hindu
-Agencies
