Sri Lankan fishing boat operating in Maldivian waters ordered to be confiscated by the State

A Sri Lankan fishing boat caught illegally fishing in the Maldives' maritime zone has been ordered to be confiscated by the Maldivian state.

The Civil Court ruled last Wednesday to confiscate the Sri Lankan vessel "Pushpa Kumara", which was used in illegal fishing activities in the Maldivian maritime zone, and ordered its owner, Thamantha Rukumal Perera, to pay a fine of MVR 400,000 imposed by the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources.

The court delivered the verdict in Thamantha's absence, establishing the fine as a proven debt. He was ordered to pay this amount within 30 days starting from October 15.

While five Sri Lankan fishing boats attempting to fish illegally in Maldivian waters were caught in September last year, two more Sri Lankan fishing boats were apprehended in January this year. Detaining such foreign vessels and imposing strict penalties on offenders is an important step taken to protect the marine resources of the Maldives.