COLOMBO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan navy said it seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 11 Indian fishermen on Thursday morning for poaching in the waters off Delft Island in Sri Lanka's Northern Province.
The navy said in a statement that the fishermen and the boat were brought to the Kankesanthurai Harbor and handed over to local fisheries officials for onward legal proceedings.
The navy conducts operations against foreign vessels engaged in poaching, citing the impact of such activities on the livelihoods of local fishermen.
With these latest arrests, the navy has seized a total of 21 Indian fishing boats and detained 159 Indian fishermen for poaching in Sri Lankan waters in 2025. ■