Sri Lanka arrests 23 Indian fishers for poaching in their waters

Ramanathapuram: Officials informed on Sunday that the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 23 Indian fishermen from Rameshwaram for breaching their border on waters.

The Rameswaram Fishermen Association stated that the arrestees were fishing near Delft Island in the Palkbay Sea area, Asian News International reported.

The association said that the Navy took the arrestees to Myalati Naval Camp in Jaffna for investigation.

The Sri Lankan Navy arrested 22 Indian fishers and seized two of their fishing trawlers from Lankan waters last month. The Navy brought the arrestees and seized trawlers to the Thalpadu Pier in Mannar and handed them over to the Talaimannar Fisheries Inspector for legal proceedings.

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.

There have been periodic instances of Indian fishermen being arrested by Sri Lankan authorities for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

In 2023, he island nation's Navy arrested 240 Indian fishermen along with 35 trawlers for poaching in Sri Lankan waters.

These captures by the Sri Lankan Navy have been a matter of concern for not only the Central government but also the Tamil Nadu government.