Sri Lanka Navy detains nine Indian fishermen

The Sri Lanka Navy detained nine Indian fishermen and seized their fishing vessel for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters, the navy said on Thursday.

The fishermen were apprehended on Wednesday night off Urumalai Point in Talaimannar, in the country's north, after their vessel crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line into Sri Lankan waters.

The navy said the fishermen were using bottom trawling, a fishing method that damage the seabed and marine ecosystems.

The nine fishermen and their vessel will be handed over to the fisheries inspector in Mannar for further legal action.

The navy said the Gulf of Mannar ecosystem around Mannar Island and Adam’s Bridge is considered an important marine biodiversity and conservation area.

The region is protected under special fisheries management and environmental regulations because of its ecological importance.