Fast Naval Craft attached to the Eastern Naval Command apprehended two Chinese multi-day fishing trawlers engaged in illegal fishing in the sea off Arugambay on 5th August 2012.
The trawlers bearing the registration numbers IMUL- A- 0054- KMN with 20 crew members (19 Chinese and 1 Sri Lankan) and IMUL- A- 0055- KMN with 19 crew members (18 Chinese and 1 Sri Lankan) were escorted to Trincomalee Harbour to be handed over to Trincomalee Harbour Police for legal action.
The two trawlers, named YU 6177 and YU 6178, are registered with the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources with permission to engage in fishing beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Sri Lanka under a BOI project.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, August 6, 2012; Image: Sri Lanka Navy