Sri Lanka arrests 12 Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in its waters

Sri Lankan Navy detains 12 Indian fishermen and seizes their trawlers on allegations of poaching in the island nation's waters, according to an official statement on Sunday.

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 12 Indian fishermen and seized their trawlers for allegedly poaching in the island nation’s waters, an official statement said on Sunday.

The fishermen were arrested, and their three trawlers seized on Saturday off the coast of Karainagar in the northern Jaffna peninsula, the Navy said in a release.

They were escorted to the Kankesanthurai harbour for further action, it said.

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, the island nation’s Navy arrested 240 Indian fishermen along with 35 trawlers for poaching in Sri Lankan waters.