Illegal fishing: 8 foreign trawlers detained in Bangladeshi waters

Bangladesh Navy detained eight foreign trawlers Monday, while they were fishing  illegally in the territorial waters of Bangladesh in the deep sea. 

Ships and Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) of Bangladesh Navy have been conducting regular patrols in the Bay of Bengal since May 20 to enforce the government’s declared 65-day ban on all types of marine fishing, reports UNB.  

While patrolling, the MPA of the Navy identified the location of a large number of foreign fishing trawlers in the Paira Fairway Boya area near the Rabnabad Channel adjacent to Kuakata in Patuakhali district.  

Later, Naval ship patrolling the deep sea intercepted eight Indian fishing trawlers along with 135 crew within 36-60 nautical miles (67-111 km) of Bangladesh-India international waters while illegally fishing, says a media release of the Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) directorate here on Tuesday afternoon.  

The issue of handing over the seized cruising fishing trawlers to Mongla police station in Bagerhat district is under process for taking necessary legal action as per rules, the ISPR media release added .