PANJIM: The patrol team of the Fisheries Department seized five fishing boats from Maharashtra for illegally fishing in the Goa territorial waters.
Of these, three boats were from Ratnagiri district and two from Malpe in Maharashtra. The patrol team of the Fisheries Department, with the assistance of the Coastal Police, intercepted four vessels including one from Malpe near Aguada bay and brought them to the Captain of Ports jetty. The second boat from Malpe was caught at Talpona, Canacona.
According to information provided by Deputy Director of Fisheries Dr Smita Mazumdar, two vessels were found carrying fish and the same was auctioned. The fisheries department auctioned 850-kg of thrash fish from one of the vessels caught at Aguada Bay and recovered Rs 7,650 from the auction.
The details of the fish auctioned from the vessel seized at Talpona was not immediately made available.
Dr Mazumdar said that these boats were impounded because they did not possess the State registration licences and were illegally fishing in Goan territorial waters.
The Fisheries Department said that cases will be filed against the crew of these vessels before the Adjudicating Officer under the relevant sections of the Marine Fisheries Regulation Act.
The adjudicating officer will conduct enquiry and impose penalty. If the boat is caught with the fish catch then the penalty will be five times the value of the fish auctioned.
