A search operation conducted by the Navy at the Kakarativu Island in Jaffna led to the recovery of 400 water gel sticks, which are used as commercial explosives. The Navy has been conducting regular operations to check illegal fishing practices carried out by a small group of people who use explosives, despite the harmful effects on marine ecosystems. The Northern Naval Command’s naval establishment SLNS Kanchadewa found a sack containing 400 water gel sticks buried on Kakarativu Island.
The Northern Naval Command found 706 water gel sticks in the Kakarativu Island during a previous operation.
It is believed that these explosives were hidden to be used later for blast fishing. The explosives are now in naval custody.
The Sri Lanka Navy also conducted an operation to send Indian poaching trawlers out of Sri Lankan waters. The operation led to the seizing of an Indian trawler and apprehending three Indian nationals who were poaching in the waters off the Kovilan Lighthouse in Karainagar.
The Navy has intensified patrolling in Sri Lankan waters to combat illegal fishing by foreign fishing trawlers.
A Fast Attack Craft of the fouth Fast Attack Flotilla was deployed to chase Indian poaching trawlers in Sri Lankan waters off the Kovilan Lighthouse, through the International Maritime Boundary Line and the Navy detained an Indian poaching trawler, which remained in the island’s waters with three Indian fishermen and their fishing gear.