Seven (07) persons held for using explosives for fishing

Navy held 07 persons for engaging in fishing using explosives in the seas off the Norway Island in Trincomalee on 17^th August 2019.

Accordingly, these persons who engaged in illegal fishing using dynamite in the waters off the Norway Island were apprehended by the Eastern Naval Command, during a patrol. A dinghy, an outboard motor (OBM) used for fishing and 376kg of illegally caught fish were also seized by the Navy. The suspects have been identified as residents of Muttur and Kinniya.

The 07 suspects along with the dinghy, OBM, other fishing gear and illegally caught fish stock were handed over to the Assistant Directorate of Fisheries-Trincomalee for further investigation.

Since this often illegal practice is extremely destructive to the surrounding ecosystem, as the explosion often destroys the underlying habitat that supports fish, the Navy is very much vigilant over curbing such practices for the preservation of fish stock and its ecosystem.