SRI LANKA COAST GUARD APPREHENDED TWO FISHING VESSELS WITH ILLEGALLY HARVESTED SHARK FINS

Sri Lanka Coast Guard personnel deployed at Dikovita Fishery Harbour for fishery monitoring and regulating duties, apprehended two Multiday Fishing Vessel along with 13 fishermen in possession of illegally harvested 41 numbers of Blue Shark fins on 29^th May 2021.

The apprehension was done during a search operation carried out on board Multiday Fishing Vessels which were returned harbour after month long fishing. Apprehended items had been hidden in a compartment as they were found by the Coast Guard personnel. The retaining on board, transshipping or landing the ‘fins of any shark species’ is an offence under the Shark Fisheries Management (High Seas) Regulations of 2015.

The arrested persons with apprehended items were handed over to Fisheries Inspector, Negambo for onward legal actions.