Navy apprehends 15 persons for engaging in illegal fishing in northern waters

The Sri Lanka Navy apprehended 13 persons for illegal harvesting of sea cucumber and 02 individuals for engaging in light course fishing, during separate search operations carried out off the Mandaitivu Island and in the sea area off Veththalakerni in Jaffna on the night of 22nd February and early hours of today (23rd February 2023). The operations also led to the seizure of fishing gear used for these illegal acts. Upon apprehension, the individuals and their fishing gear were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Jaffna for onward legal action.

The Navy conducts regular operations in the coastal and sea areas around the island with a view to prevent illegal fishing practices. In a similar effort, the Naval Deployment Veththalakerni carried out a special operation off Veththalakerni on the night of 22nd February upon detection of a dinghy using light beams. Accordingly, naval personnel apprehended 02 persons and the dinghy for engaging in light course fishing in the sea area.

In another special search operation conducted off the Mandaitivu Island on the morning of 23rd February, SLNS Welusumana nabbed 13 persons for illegal harvesting of sea cucumber. During the operation, 789 illegally harvested sea cucumbers, 04 crafts and fishing gear were also taken into naval custody.

The persons held in these operations were identified as residents of Mannar and Jaffna areas. The 15 suspects, their crafts, sea cucumbers and other belongings were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Jaffna for onward legal action.

The Navy continues its operations to prevent this nature of fishing activities taking into account the harmful repercussions of such practices of a handful of individuals on the marine biodiversity, as well as to promote law-abiding fishing practices.