(UTV|INDIA) – More than 1,700 Tamil Nadu fishermen on Tuesday (21) were allegedly chased away by the Sri Lankan Navy which also “snapped” fishing nets of 75 boats off Katchatheevu Islet, the Press Trust of India reported.
The fishermen from Rameswaram were fishing near Katchatheevu on Tuesday morning when Sri Lankan Naval personnel came in 4 boats and threatened them, Tamil Nadu Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association President P. Sesuraja stated.
They also snapped the nets of 75 boats, he added.
Following the threat, all the fishermen returned to the shore, Mr. Sesuraja said.
The mid-sea incident came after a spate of detentions of the fishermen this month on charges of poaching fish in Sri Lankan waters.
A total of 53 fishermen have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy this month for poaching in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters. In the last three months, a total of 117 Indian fishermen have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Tamil Nadu fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters use bottom trawling to catch fish, a destructive fishing practice which affects the marine ecosystem, banned by the Government of Sri Lanka.
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