Sri Lanka Navy arrested 22 local fishermen who engaged in illegal fishing practices using explosives and unauthorized nets, at two separate locations yesterday (23).
Accordingly, naval personnel attached to SLNS Vijaya located in Kalpitiya belonging to the Northwestern Naval Command arrested 16 persons who were harvesting sea cucumbers without valid license in Silawathura Seas.
During the arrest, 3 dinghies, 10 oxygen cylinders, 4 pairs of diving fins, 4 diving masks, 2 GPS units, an unauthorized fishing net and 16 kg of sea cucumbers were taken into naval custody.
The arrested suspects along with belongings were handed over to the Mannar Fisheries Inspector for further investigations, SLN said.
On the same day, another 6 local fishermen who engaged in illegal fishing practices using explosives were apprehended by the naval personnel attached to SLNS Gajaba located in Mannar in the North Central Naval Command.
Along with the suspects; a dinghy, 5 pairs of diving fins, 5 diving masks and 610 kg of fish were also arrested. The apprehended persons and items were produced before the Assistant Director of Fisheries, Mannar for onward investigations.
