Indian Navy apprehends 14 Sri Lankan fishermen for illegal fishing in Indian waters

Indian Navy apprehends 14 Sri Lankan fishermen

The Indian Navy detained 14 Sri Lankan fishermen and confiscated five boats for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and engaging in sea cucumber fishing on Thursday, May 16, 2024, as reported by The Hindu.

According to Indian Navy sources, ICGS Rani Durgavati intercepted five Sri Lankan fishing boats with 14 crew members about 13 nautical miles southeast of Point Calimere Light, inside Indian waters.

The boats were found to be violating the Maritime Zones of India Act 1981, and around 200 kilograms of endangered fish species were seized to safeguard the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and combat illegal activities at sea.

The arrested fishermen, all hailing from Paruthithurai in Sri Lanka, were transported to the Nagapattinam fishing harbor and handed over to the Vedaranyam Marine police later that day.