Sri Lanka Navy Tuesday (May 03) has arrested 14 local fishermen in four separate incidents for allegedly engaged in illegal fishing practices. Naval personnel attached to SLNS Buwaneka apprehended five fishermen engaged in illegal fishing activities in the seas of Vedithalathive and Maddalampiddi, Mannar along with five canoes (Wallam) on May 03. During the raid 160 GI pipes were also taken into custody. The arrested persons and the GI pipes were produced to the Assistant Director of Fisheries in Mannar for onward action. On the same day another four fishermen along with a Fiber Glass Dinghy (FGD), 1.5 kg of sea cucumbers, a GPS unit, four pairs of diving fins and five diving masks were apprehended in the seas of Konduchchikuda in Mannar. The arrested fishermen along with the items were handed over to the Silawathurai Police for further investigations. Meanwhile the naval troops attached to SLNS Kashyapa in coordination with the officials of the Fisheries Department Batticaloa arrested an individual who had concealed 1,008 conch shells in a house in the general area of Sittivilugam, Batticaloa. In a separate incident, naval personnel took four local fishermen along with two FGDs into custody. The fishermen were engaged in illegal fishing in the seas north of Devils Point. During the arrest two GPS units, three fishing nets and 11 kg of crab were apprehended by the Navy. The arrested persons and the items were handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries in Kilinochchi for onward action.
The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka 2016