Rameswaram: The Sri Lankan government has decided to auction 105 seized Indian fishing trawlers, anchored in its various harbours from 7 to 11 February.
Reports, quoting Sri Lankan Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Director General S.J.Kahawatta, on Sunday said the Indian fishing trawlers were confiscated by the Sri Lankan Navy on various occasions for indulging in illegal bottom-trawling in the Island nationâs territorial waters.
Kahawatta said the Fisheries department will dispose of some 105 Indian bottom trawlers at a public auction next month after legal proceedings were concluded.
The decision was taken to auction them since the seized boats are partially damaged or not in usable condition. In addition, these trawlers have been anchored in Navy jetties for years and have become breeding grounds for dengue. ‘We need to write off these crafts from our book since the court proceedings concluded a long time ago,’ he said.
Of the 105 trawlers, 65 were anchored in Karainagar, 24 in Kiranchi, nine in Talaimannar, five in Kankesanthurai and two in Kalpitiya.
Relevant District Fisheries departments have already commenced the valuation process of the seized trawlers with the assistance of Marine Engineers ahead of a public auction next month.
According to the public notice issued by the department, any individual needs to pay Rs 1,000 to enter into the auction premises and will be allowed to inspect the crafts at the location from 31 January to 5 February.
The potential buyers will also need to submit a request to the District Assistant Director of Fisheries for coordination of prior approval from the Navy. The buyer also needs to pay 20 per cent of the total amount at the conclusion of the auction and the rest should be paid within five working days.
He said to check the illegal bottom trawling, the Fisheries department had on October last year, issued a directive to District Assistant Directors, advising them to implement the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act No 2 of 1996 and Fisheries (Regulation of Foreign Fishing Boats) Act No 59
of 1979 as amended in 2017 and 2018.
Under the newly amended provisions in 2018, any foreign vessels that enter into Sri Lankan waters and engage in fishing without a permit can be seized as declared a ‘State property.’
Sri Lanka has taken a firm decision not to release any mechanised fishing trawler or boats caught violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), though it releases Indian fishermen who were apprehended with the boats.