Six Sri Lankan fishermen arrested for poaching in Indian waters

The Indian Coast Guard has arrested six Sri Lankan fishermen for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Indian waters near Kodiyakkarai in Nagapattinam.?

The arrested fishermen were identified as TR Madushan (34), PW Amila Maduranga (28), MG Sugith Bandara (29), GK Ushan Madushanka (19) and MM Baddika (28), all from Trincomalee and Thusil Makela (22) from Priyantha Liyanage in Sri Lanka, said a report on Times of India.

On Sunday night, the coast guard personnel found a boat that was not an Indian trawler and intercepted the fishermen on the boat. The guard then found out that all the six fishermen who were engaged in fishing were Sri Lankan nationals.

Hence, the Coast Guard arrested the six persons in Indian Exclusive Economic Zone for violating Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981. They also seized the boats used by the fishermen.

The Coast Guard then handed over six fishermen to Nagapattinam marine police for further investigation.

Earlier, Indian Coast Guard on March 16, 2022 carried out anti-poaching operation in Gulf of Mannar. In the operation, IGC apprehended six Sri Lankan fishermen for fishing in Indian waters.?Later, IGC arrested the six-member crew for violating Maritime Zone of India Act, 1991.

A release from ICG said, the Sri Lankan crew was involved in poaching despite being aware of the illegality and the crew also turned off the automatic identification system on-board the vessel.

It was the second boat identified by IGC in the Indian water in March. (ABP News Bureau)