Navy arrest 27 Tamil Nadu fishermen for poaching in Sri Lankan waters

The Sri Lanka Navy has arrested 27 Indian fishermen and seized five trawlers early Tuesday (12) morning for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Sri Lankan territorial waters.

According to a PTI report, the Sri Lankan Navy personnel arrested the fishermen from Jegadapattinam and Kottaipattinam in Pudukkottai District along with five boats while fishing in the seas off Delft Island of Jaffna.

The fishermen have been taken to Kankasanthurai port along with the five boats, Assistant Director of the Fisheries Department, Pudukkottai, Kumaresan said.

In another incident, nearly 3,000 fishermen who had ventured into the sea last evening in 500 boats from Rameswaram were chased away by Sri Lankan Naval personnel while they were fishing near Katchatheevu islet, Rameswaram Fishermen Association President S. Emerit said.

The naval men came to the spot and fired in the air to drive off the large group of fishermen before damaging their fishing equipment, he said.

The fishermen were forced to return to the shore without a catch, he stated.