Colombo, Nov 6 (IANS): The Sri Lankan Navy arrested 15 Indian fishermen who were allegedly poaching in the northern waters of the Island nation and seized two trawlers on Saturday evening.

The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) stated that the arrests were made during "a special operation in seas north of Talaimannar to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lanka's waters".

"Sri Lanka Navy remains ever alert to foil illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers in Sri Lanka's waters and regularly conducts patrols and operations to prevent such activities. As an extension of these efforts, the North Central Naval Command mounted a special operation, having spotted a cluster of Indian poaching trawlers in Sri Lanka's waters, in seas north of Talaimannar," SLN said in a statement.

Two Fast Attack Craft of the 4th Fast Attack Flotilla (4 FAF) attached to the Northern Naval Command had been deployed for the operation. The seized trawlers together with Indian fishermen have been brought to Talaimannar and they were handed over to the Mannar Fisheries officials for onward legal proceedings, the navy stated.

The SLN also said that it continues to remain vigilant and conducts operations to prevent illegal fishing, taking into account the consequences of such activities of foreign fishermen on the livelihood of local fishermen and biodiversity of the marine environment.