Chennai:
Five Sri Lankan fishermen, along with their boat and over 100 kg catch, have been apprehended by Indian Coast Guard for illegally fishing off Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh coast.
Coast Guard vessel ICGS Rajshree spotted Lankan boat 'Ranil Putha' and apprehended the five crew along with a fish catch weighing over 100 kg while on patrol on Wednesday, a Coast Guard statement said.
The boat and crew were apprehended for violating Sections 3/10 (fishing without license) and 7/14 (entering Indian Exclusive Economic Zone without stowing fishing gear in the prescribed manner) of Maritime Zones of India Act,1981 and later handed them over to Tamil Nadu Police, it said.
Since January 2013, 26 Sri Lankans were apprehended, five fishing boats impounded and 330 kg fish catch seized by the Coast Guard (Eastern Region), it said.