The Navy has nabbed 25 persons engaged in illegal fishing and other unlawful activities in different parts of the country during operations conducted last week in Eastern, Northern, North Central, Northwestern and Southern naval areas, the Navy said yesterday.

The Eastern Naval Command, during operations conducted in the sea areas off Kallady and Wakare, in Erakkandi and at Cod Bay fishery harbour on Oct 21 and apprehended 19 persons for fishing with banned nets and possessing shark fins. Along with the suspects six vessels including a multiday fishing trawler, five banned nets and several other fishing accessories were taken into custody by the Navy.

The Northern Naval Command nabbed a suspect for keeping about 2,693 conch shells, in a house, during a search operation carried out at the Eluvaitivu Island on Oct 23. In another operation carried out in Talpadu, Mannar on the same day, the personnel of the North Central Naval Command apprehended asuspect for illegal transport of 70 kilos and 600 grams of dried sea cucumber in a trishaw.

During a special operation conducted at Kirimundalama in Kalpitiya on Oct 21, the Northwestern Naval Command intercepted a suspicious lorry and apprehended two suspects who were transferring 28 sacks full of shark fins. The vehicle was also taken into custody.

In another development, the Southern Naval Command in coordination with the Fisheries Inspector of Kalametiya caught two persons for using a banned net for fishing near the Kalametiya fishery harbour on Oct 22. Along with the two persons a dinghy the banned net were taken into custody.

The suspects were identified as residents of Kinniya, Kathiraweli, Wakare, Lankapatuna, Eluvaitivu, Erukkulampiddi, Kalpitiya, Sinnapadu and Hungama areas, aged from 27 to 53.

The suspects, fishing vessels, banned nets, lorry and three-wheeler were handed over to the Assistant Directors of Fisheries in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Mannar as well as Fisheries Inspectors of Muttur, Kayts, Puttalam and Tangalle for onward investigations.

All these operations were carried out in conformity with strict health and safety guidelines declared for the prevention of COVID–19 pandemic.