73 INDIAN FISHERMEN NETTED

Seventy-three Indian fishermen found poaching i n Sri Lankan waters had been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy in the seas off Talaimannar and Delft Islands in two separate incidents on Saturday night, the Navy said.

Sixteen fishing vessels had also been confiscated.

“Forty one Indian fishermen were arrested off the North-Western coast of Talaimannar along with eight trawlers,” Navy Spokesman Commander Kosala Waranakulasuriya said.

“Another 32 fishermen along with eight trawlers were also arrested while they were engaged in fishing off the Delft Islands,” he said.

He said the fishermen had violated the International Maritime Boundary Line and were using the illegal method of bottom trawling.

“The fishermen together with their trawlers would be handed over t o t he fisheries authorities in Talaimannar and Jaffna for legal action,” he said.

Indian media quoting the President of the Rameswaram fishermen’s association said 42 fishermen of Rameswaram and Thangachimadam went for fishing in around 500 boats and Sri Lanka Navy had arrested them while they were fishing near Katchatheevu.

Meanwhile, twelve Sri Lankan fishermen had been arrested on Friday by the Indian Coast Guard for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in the Indian waters.

The boats, which had 750 kgs of fish catch, were seized and the fishermen booked under Maritime Zones of India Act, 1981, it said, adding that they would be handed over to the Tamil Nadu Police.