Sri Lankan navy arrests Indian fishermen for poaching

COLOMBO, July 1 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan navy arrested seven Indian fishermen for poaching in the seas off Talaimannar in the Northern province on Monday night, local media reported on Tuesday.

This is the second such case in the past two days. On Sunday, the navy seized an Indian fishing boat and arrested eight Indian fishermen while they were poaching in the seas off Mannar, also in the Northern province, the navy said.

The navy said the seized boat and the fishermen were handed over to the fisheries officials for further legal proceedings.

The navy reiterated that it continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to prevent illegal fishing by foreign vessels, citing concerns over its impact on the livelihoods of local fishermen.