Karwar: Coastal Security Police seized 50 boats from Tamil Nadu which were anchored at Baithkhol Port, in the City, on Wednesday.
The police raided the boats on suspicion that the boat owners were engaged in LED light fishing. On finding that they had no authentic documents for their presence, the police seized the boats.
Further, according to the police, the boat men neither had life jackets or identity cards on them.
Police officials seized the registration certificates of the boats and the boats handed over to the fisheries department.
It is learnt that Tamil Nadu based fishermen who were fishing at Udupi, Kerala and Mangaluru, and on being issued a warning about an impending storm in the Indian Ocean, they had anchored at Baithkhol Port, in the City.
Fisheries Department Deputy Director Santosh Koppad said earlier seven boats were anchored at the jetty.
On inspection by coastal security police personnel, it was found that the boats had generators and big LED lights on them.
“If the boat owners violated the rules, notices will be issued against them and sent to their permanent address. They cannot be let without paying the penalty,” he added.
Persian Boat Owners Union President Raju Tandel said, in Goa and Kerala, LED light fishing was permitted, while, in Karnataka, it was banned. However, fishermen from neighbouring states trespassed into State waters and engaged in fishing.
However, no action was taken against them by the officials concerned, he said.
Indian Express Report
Depression brings fishing activities to standstill
Karwar: Hundreds of fishing boats were anchored at Karwar coast on Wednesday following a depression over the southeast Arabian Sea. The fishermen were warned to not venture into deep sea for fishing. Though, it did not rain, the entire district was overcast throughout the day.
The depression over southeast Arabian Sea is said to be moving towards north-westwards near Kerala coast. As most parts of Uttara Kannada district were cloudy and fishermen anchored their boats at fishing ports. More than hundred fishing boats from Mangaluru, Malpe and about 50 boats from Tamil Nadu and Kerala were anchored in the sea off Ravindranath Tagore beach.
Deputy director of Fisheries Department Santosh Koppad said the department issued a warning to fishermen not to venture into deep sea. “The department has prohibited deep sea fishing for another couple of days or till next instruction,” he added.
Meanwhile, more than eight Persian boats from Tamil Nadu which were involved in light fishing activities were fined by the deputy director of Fisheries Department for illegally taking out fishing activities.
Raju Tandel, president of Uttara Kannada Persian Boats Union, said on other days Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Coastal Security Police would not be there to stop light fishing activities taken out by other state boats. If fishermen from Uttara Kannada are found indulging in such activity, they take action and impose fine on them. It is a step motherly treatment to Uttara Kannada fishermen and law should be equal to all fishermen, he said.