The Sri Lanka Navy, together with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard have seized 02 Indian trawlers and apprehended 19 Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters near Delft Island, Jaffna last night (Feb. 07).

The Northern Naval Command of Sri Lanka Navy had deployed Fast Attack Craft and Coast Guard to chase away a cluster of Indian poaching trawlers, having spotted them engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters close to the Delft Island in the dark hours on Wednesday. Two poaching trawlers carrying 19 fishermen were apprehended as they continued to remain in Sri Lankan waters, the Navy said. 

The seized trawlers, together with the 19 fishermen, have been brought to the Kankesanturai Harbour and they will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for onward legal proceedings, according to the Navy.

With the new development, the Navy has held 12 Indian poaching trawlers and 88 Indian fishermen in island waters thus far in 2024 and handed them over to authorities for legal action.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, Jaffna court released six Indian fishermen who were arrested on January 22 on charges of trespassing, poaching and using banned fishing nets in Sri Lankan waters and handed them over to the Indian consulate general in Jaffna.

The judge ordered their release on the condition that they should not enter Sri Lankan waters.

Against this backdrop, Rameswaram fishermen went on strike on Monday (05) after 23 fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy on February 03, the Indian media had reported. They demanded that the Tamil Nadu government and the Central Government secure the release of 23 fishermen and 150 boats in Sri Lankan custody.

Nevertheless, the Sri Lanka Navy says it will continue to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers, taking into account the impact of those practices on the livelihood of local fishermen.