Sri Lanka Navy arrests four Indian fishermen

Four Indian fishermen were arrested and their trawler seized early on Tuesday by the Sri Lanka Navy for allegedly poaching in the island nation’s waters, taking the total number of such arrests to more than 180 this year. “In the latest incident of alleged poaching by Indians, one Indian trawler was seized and four fishermen were arrested early on Tuesday around the northern islet of Delft in the Jaffna peninsula,” Sri Lanka Navy said here.

Including Tuesday’s arrests, a total of 182 Indian fishermen have been arrested and 25 of their trawlers seized so far in 2024 for alleged illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters, the Navy said.

The numbers are almost 75 per cent of the approximate 240-245 held similarly in 2023.

The majority of these incidents happen in the Palk Strait, a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka’s northern tip, which is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Fisheries said the issue of alleged illegal fishing by Indians would be discussed with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar when he arrives here on June 20.

The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with the Sri Lanka Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats for illegally entering Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.