COLOMBO, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lanka Navy assisted the Coast Guard to arrest 12 Indian fishermen for poaching in Sri Lankan waters on Wednesday.
The Navy said it had also seized two Indian fishing trawlers used by the Indians south of Thalaimannar.
The Indians and the trawlers were brought to the northern town of Mannar and handed over to the Department of Fisheries for further action.
On Tuesday, the Navy had arrested seven Indian fishermen and seized two fishing trawlers for poaching in Sri Lanka.
Poaching by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters has seen a 50 percent drop, the Fisheries Ministry said this week.
The Fisheries Ministry said that steps taken by the Navy and Coast Guard to arrest Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters have resulted in the drop in the number of fishermen poaching in Sri Lanka.
Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that all Indian boats seized before 2015 had been returned to India.
However, he said boats seized after 2015 had not been returned and they were impounded after taking legal action.
He said that while Indian fishermen were released on humanitarian grounds, Sri Lanka will continue to arrest any Indian fishermen found poaching in Sri Lankan waters.
He also said that Sri Lanka has raised concerns with India on the damage caused to Sri Lankan fishing resources by Indian fishermen.
The minister said that talks to resolve their fishing issue will also continue and another round of discussions will take place in Colombo on January 2 next year.
He said that the Indian foreign minister and fisheries minister are expected to attend the talks in Colombo next month.
