16 TN fishermen arrested by SL navy

Sixteen Indian fishermen found poaching in Sri Lankan waters had been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy in the seas off North Mathagal in Jaffna yesterday, the Navy said.

Navy Spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya said four fishing vessels had also been seized along with the fishermen.

He said the fishermen venturing into Sri Lankan waters had violated the International Maritime Boundary Line and were using the illegal method of bottom trawling.

“The fishermen together with their trawlers would be handed over to the fisheries authorities in Karainagar for legal action,” he said.

The naval personnel had chased away fishermen who were fishing between katchthivu islet and Arichalmunai, the Hindu reported.

The report cited Tamil Nadu Fishermen’s Association President T. Jesuraja as saying that the Lankan naval personnel had chased the fishermen even past Arichalmunai into the Indian territorial waters.

“The fishermen could see the Dhanushkodi coast, which meant they were very much in Indian territorial waters. The Sri Lankan Navy chased them into the Indian waters,” the report quoted him.

“Sri Lankan Navy men had also snapped the fishing nets of 50 boats.” (Chaturanga Pradeep)