Seventeen Indian fishermen arrested

Seventeen Indian fishing poachers and two steel hull bottom trawlers were taken into custody by Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard patrol craft in the northern territorial waters off Nagar Kovil on Thursday evening, the Navy said.

SL Navy and SLCG patrol craft attached to the Northern Naval Area whilst on routine patrol, detecting two Indian fishing trawlers 16.8 nm and 14.6 nm off respectively, engaged in bottom trawling were apprehended, a statement by the SLN said.

The arrested fishermen, fishing trawler and their fishing gear have been brought to the naval base, Kankesanthurai.

They are to be handed over to the Jaffna Assistant Director of Fisheries to initiate legal action, a spokesman said.