Chennai, April 12 (IANS) Twelve Indian fishermen, including five from Tamil Nadu, were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy late on April 11 for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), in yet another incident underscoring the recurring tensions in the Palk Strait region.
According to official sources, the fishermen had ventured into the sea in a mechanised boat from the Karaikal fishing harbour at around 10 a.m. on April 10. The vessel, owned by Veeravel of Tsunami Nagar in Kilinjalmedu, Karaikal district (Puducherry), had travelled nearly 60 nautical miles into the sea for fishing.
In an official statement, the Sri Lanka Navy said that during a late-night operation on April 11, it seized the Indian fishing boat and apprehended 12 fishermen for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Kovilam in Karainagar, Jaffna.
The interception took place during late-night hours, following which all those on board were taken into custody and later brought to the Kankesanthurai harbour for further legal action. The detained fishermen include Tamilvanan (42) from Nagapattinam district; Karthik (32), Vignesh (21), Veerendrarajan (33), and Jayaveeran (28) from Mayiladuthurai district; and Arulselvan (28), Sanjay (30), Pradeep (29), Viman (24), Madhan (26), Nishwanthan (20), and Saminathan (20) from Karaikal district.
This latest incident is part of a continuing series of arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy.
On April 8, at least 10 Indian fishermen were detained, and their trawler was seized in waters north of Mannar on similar charges of illegal fishing.
According to official figures, Sri Lankan authorities have so far this year seized 16 Indian fishing trawlers and arrested 112 Indian fishermen for alleged poaching in their territorial waters. These repeated detentions have caused growing concern among fishing communities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, many of whom rely heavily on deep-sea fishing for their livelihood.
Fishermen often venture close to or across the IMBL due to dwindling fish stocks on the Indian side and the absence of clear markers at sea.
However, Sri Lankan authorities maintain strict enforcement against what they describe as illegal bottom trawling and resource depletion in their waters. Fishermen’s associations have urged both the Tamil Nadu government and the Union government to take immediate diplomatic steps to secure the release of those detained and their boats.
They have also reiterated calls for a long-term bilateral solution to prevent recurring arrests and ensure the safety and livelihood of coastal fishing communities.
–IANS
aal/uk