国际英语新闻:Sri Lanka arrests 29 Indian fishermen

COLOMBO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan navy arrested 29 Indian fishermen and seized their boats for poaching in Sri Lankan waters, the navy said on Sunday.

The navy media unit said that the Indian fishermen were arrested overnight off the northern Thalaimanner seas and six of their trawlers were later seized.

"The arrested fishermen and the trawlers were handed over to the officials of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for legal action," the navy said.

The arrest was the first since the new Indian Government of Narendra Modi took oaths last week, at an event at which Sri Lankan President Maninda Rajapaksa was also a chief guest.

Poaching by Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen has been a dragging issue and talks aimed at resolving the issue broke down last month.

On Friday Sri Lankan fishermen demanded an end to poaching by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters by launching a campaign to obtain public support in Sri Lanka against Indian fishermen.

Convenor of the National Fisheries Cooperative Movement Anthony Jesudasan said that despite attempts by the government to end the dispute between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen, the talks aimed at reaching a solution had failed.

Indo-Lanka fishing talks held in Colombo this month ended in failure after Indian fishermen demanded access to Sri Lankan waters to catch fish and wanted to continue bottom trawling for a few more years.

Sri Lankan fishermen associations from the north of the country however refused to agree to the demands saying it would affect their livelihood.