The Sri Lanka Navy, in collaboration with the Coast Guard and the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, conducted coordinated operations from April 1 to 15, apprehending 41 individuals engaged in illegal fishing activities.
Naval personnel seized 11 dinghies and two tractors used for illicit operations during the fortnight-long crackdown. The raids covered coastal stretches and lagoons in Trincomalee, Puttalam and Jaffna, executed by the Eastern, Northern and Northwestern Naval Commands.
Seized items included sea cucumbers, commercial-grade explosives and banned fishing gear. All suspects and confiscated materials were handed over to regional Fisheries Department offices and the Special Task Force in Pulmoddai for legal action.
The operation follows the Navy’s broader first-quarter enforcement campaign that also targeted drug trafficking and illegal trawling by foreign vessels.
Sea cucumber harvesting without a valid licence is prohibited under Sri Lankan law, and the use of explosives for fishing carries severe criminal penalties. The crackdown comes as authorities intensify patrols during the inter-monsoon transition period, when illegal activity typically rises along the northern and eastern coastlines.
