Navy apprehends person engaged in illegal fishing and four banned nets

Navy apprehended a person who engaged in illegal fishing in the seas off Elephant Point in Trincomalee and 04 banned fishing nets casted in the Batticoloa lagoon.

Sri Lanka Navy constantly conducts patrols to curb the illegal means of fishing in order to preserve marine resources. As such extension, this suspect who engaged in illegal fishing using explosive, was apprehended during a patrol conducted in the seas off Elephant Point by a team of naval personnel attached to Eastern Naval Command, on 17^th July 2020. A dinghy, 03 safety fuses, 09 non electric detonators, 100g of water gel sticks and other fishing gear were taken into custody. Further, during another patrol conducted in lagoon area of Batticoloa, on 18^th July 2020, four (04) banned nets casted in the lagoon for illegal fishing, were apprehended by the Navy.

The suspect is a resident of Muttur area, aged 36. Apprehended person along with the seized items were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector-Muttur for further investigation. Four (04) banned nets apprehended by Navy are due to be handed over to Assistant Director of Fisheries-Batticoloa.