The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development announced that the Indian fishing vessels arrested for venturing into Sri Lankan waters on fishing expeditions would be released with conditions.
    
Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, Mahinda Amaraweera stated that the boats would be released in the order in which they were arrested.

He stated this at a meeting of the Ministerial Fisheries Advisory Council, which was held yesterday (15) in the ministry’s auditorium.

He added that the Sri Lankan Government had taken the decision to release the 42 vessels arrested in 2015 as a result of the monumentally positive results brought about by the discussions centered on the Indo-Lanka fishing conflict during the course of the past two years.

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera confirmed that the Indian Government had been requested to accept custody of the vessels, and added the boats were being released on the condition that they not venture into the Sri Lankan maritime region again.

Adding on, he also stated that the fishing community of the North had been asked to give their views on the release, upon which, written consent had been obtained from the community for their conditional release.

Minister Amaraweera proceeded to say that venturing of Indian fishing vessles into Sri Lankan waters had reduced as a result of the positive and just decisions taken by the Central Government of India, as well as the deterrence effect brought about by the arrests.

He added that the release by no means implied a relaxation of arrests, and added that arresting activities would in fact be implemented on a broader basis.