COLOMBO, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's navy said that it seized an Indian fishing vessel and arrested 12 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
The navy said in a press release that it continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices by foreign fishing boats, taking into account the impact of those practices on the livelihood of local fishermen.
The seized boat and the Indian fishermen were brought to the Kankesanthurai Harbor and would be handed over to the local fisheries inspector for onward legal proceedings, the navy said.
With this seizure, the Sri Lankan navy has held 66 Indian fishing boats and 497 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters in 2024, and handed them over to authorities for legal action, the navy said. ■