A Sri Lankan boat with a five-member crew allegedly fishing in Indian waters in the Bay of Bengal was seized in an anti-poaching operation by the Coast Guard recently.
'Ajantha Putha-2' was fishing in Indian Exclusive Economic Zone on March 8 and was sighted by Coast Guard aircraft which was on maritime surveillance in the Gulf of Mannar region, and immediately ICGS Vajra was diverted to intercept the boat, an official release said. The ship intercepted the Sri Lankan boat 48 nautical miles inside the Indian waters with its fishing net into the water.
Fishing in Indian waters by the Sri Lankan fishing boat is a violation under the MZI Act, 1981 (Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) and a team from ICGS Vajra thoroughly rummaged the boat. The boat was fishing well inside the Indian Exclusive Economic one and had 300 kg of fish catch onboard.
The boat and the crew were brought to the Tuticorin Port and were handed over to the Marine Police, the release added.
With PTI inputs.
