The Sri Lanka Navy on Friday has arrested 14 local fishermen in two separate incidents for allegedly engaged in illegal fishing practices. In one incident, naval personnel attached to SLN Dockyard in Trincomalee belonging to the Eastern Naval Command arrested 10 local fishermen in the seas off Chappel Island while engaged in illegal fishing practices using unauthorized nets. Along with the suspects a dinghy and a banned monofilament Net used for fishing activities were taken into naval custody. The apprehended fishermen and their belongings were handed over to the Trincomalee Harbor Police for further investigations. On the same day, naval personnel attached to SLNS Buwaneka located in Nachchikuda in the North Central Naval Command arrested another 4 local fishermen with a traditional boat (Wallam) and a monofilament net while fishing illegally in the seas off Iranathivu. The arrested persons along with the boat were produced to the Fisheries Inspector in Kilinochchi for onward action. Sri Lanka’s Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry has banned the use of monofilament nets for fishing.
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