Indian coast guard apprehends 11 Sri Lankan fishermen off Kalingapatnam

KALINGAPATAM : The Indian Coast Guard has apprehended 11 Sri Lankan fishermen and seized two fishing boats 175 nautical miles off the coast of Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.

Coast Guard vessel Vigraha intercepted the boats when they were adrift in the Indian shores on Friday. The apprehended fishermen along with their boats were brought to Kakinada on Saturday and handed over to the local enforcement authorities. They are charged with illegally entering the Indian waters.

The Sri Lankan fishing vessels were reported to be fishing in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of India without a valid permit or documentation.

Fishing and poaching from foreign vessels in the Indian EEZ is illegal under Maritime Zones of India (MZI) Act 1981. The Sri Lankan fishing vessel violated both the Act and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a Coast Guard press brief said.

The Sri Lankan fishing boats, along with the 11 crew members, were escorted to Kakinada on Saturday. The Marine Police, Fisheries Department, Customs and Intelligence Bureau are conducting a joint investigation and rummaging at Kakinada.

 The fishing boats and crew were said to have been handed over to the Marine Fisheries Department and the Marine Police for further proceedings.