18 Indian fishermen held by Sri Lanka Navy for alleged poaching

Colombo: The Sri Lanka Navy has arrested 18 Indian fishermen for alleged illegal fishing in the island nation’s territorial waters and seized their fishing trawler.

The fishermen were arrested on Monday in a special operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Navy in the Vettilaikerni area in the north.

The seized trawler and the fishermen were handed over to the fisheries officials for further action, the navy said.

With this arrest, so far this year 515 Indian fishermen have been arrested and 66 trawlers confiscated, the navy said.

Last month, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha held a meeting in which they stressed the importance of a long-term solution to the ongoing fishing disputes between the two nations.

The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters.

The Palk Strait, a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.