27 Indian fishermen held for alleged poaching in Sri Lanka's territorial waters

Colombo, Oct 15 (PTI) Twenty-seven Indian fishermen were arrested for allegedly poaching in Sri Lanka's territorial waters, the island nation's Navy said on Sunday.

The fishermen were arrested off the coast of Mannar in the northeast and Delft and Kachchativu islets in the north on Saturday, it said.

The Sri Lankan Navy held two Indian trawlers that continued to remain in island waters off Mannar, with 15 Indian fishermen aboard while three Indian trawlers with 12 fishermen aboard were apprehended near the Delft and Kachchativu Islands, officials said.

The arrested fishermen were handed over to the authorities for further legal action, they said.

In September, 17 Indian fishermen were arrested off the coast of Jaffna's Kakarathivu island.

The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with the 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’s territorial waters.

The Palk Strait, which is 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 apprehended by Sri Lankan authorities for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in Sri Lankan waters. PTI CORR FZH ZH FZH