Sri Lanka Navy said it had arrested over 70 persons and seized their diving gear along with over 10,000 sea cucumbers and shark fins for illegal fishing in several night operations.
North Central Naval Command, during patrols conducted in Walaipadu and Iranativu sea areas, seized 6878 sea cucumbers that were illegally harvested during night diving and took into custody 53 individual and 11 dinghies with diving gear.
In Arippu, Kondachchikuda and Kalpitiya seas, the Northern Naval Command off Allapiddi and Eastern Naval Command in the sea area of Sallimunai had seized 3341 sea cucumbers.
The patrols had apprehended 22 persons, 7 dinghies and diving gear.
Sea cucumbers and shark fins have an export market.
The Navy’s Eastern, Northern, Northwestern, North Central and Southeastern Naval Commands in operations from February 16 to March 30 had also taken into custody 128 persons and seized 41 boats involved in several illegal fishing practices.
They had fished without valid passes, used unauthorized fishing nets, had illegally caught shark and their fins, were fishing in restricted areas and were in possession of illegally caught lobsters.
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