Colombo: Sri Lanka on March 6 played down a spate of arrests of Indian fishermen allegedly poaching in the Island's territorial water and said the matter had not reached a "crisis proportion".

The practice of fishermen from both countries straying in to each other's waters was a perennial problem, government spokesman and Constitutional Affairs Minister G L Peiris said.

"By no means is this a new problem, nor has it reached a crisis point," Peiris told reporters.

He said both sides have decided to arrest only the skippers of trawlers and free other crewmen.

On March 5, police arrested another 42 Indian fishermen poaching in the island's territorial waters, local officials said.

Fishermen from both countries are known to poach in each other's waters and clashes have been common in recent months.

PTI