12 more Indian fishermen held by Sri Lankan Navy

At least 12 more Indian fishermen have been arrested and their trawler confiscated by the Sri Lankan Navy for alleged poaching in Sri Lankan waters.

“During an operation conducted in the dark hours of April 11, the Sri Lanka Navy seized one Indian fishing boat and apprehended 12 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Kovilam in Karainagar Jaffna,” an official statement said.

On April 8, at least 10 Indian fishermen were arrested and their trawler confiscated by the Sri Lankan Navy for alleged poaching in Sri Lankan waters in the sea area North of Mannar on Wednesday. So far, this year the Sri Lankan Navy has seized 16 trawlers and arrested 112 Indian fishermen for alleged poaching.

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.

Fishermen from both countries are arrested frequently for inadvertently trespassing into each other’s waters.