The Navy carried out a special operation on the night of March 30, to chase away a large number of Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters northwest of Kovilan Point Lighthouse in Karainagar, Jaffna.
In this operation, the Navy took into custody an Indian trawler with the Indian fishermen for poaching in Sri Lankan waters, after crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
Having spotted a large cluster of Indian poaching vessels in Sri Lankan waters northwest of Kovilan Point Lighthouse in Karainagar, the Navy deployed a Fast Attack Craft of the 4th Fast Attack Flotilla (4 FAF), attached to the Northern Naval Command to chase away those vessels.
In this operation, one poaching vessel remaining in the island’s waters was held with three Indian fishermen and their fishing gear. The vessel and its fishermen were escorted to Mailadi fishery harbour, Kankasanthurai and arrangements are currently underway to hand over them to the Fisheries Inspector of Jaffna, through Sri Lanka Coast Guard, for onward legal action.
Sri Lanka Navy also seized an Indian poaching vessel with four Indian fishermen who were poaching in Sri Lankan waters south of the island of Delft in Jaffna on March 28.
The Navy will continue to carry out regular patrols in Sri Lankan waters to prevent illegal fishing practices, with a view to protecting the fishery resources of the country and the livelihood of local fishermen.