The Marine Enforcement and Vigilance Wing of the Department of Fisheries detected a boat registered in Tamil Nadu operating along Kochi coast without proper documents.
The boat, Carmel Annai, was registered at Velankanni port and did not have fishing rights. The boat was stopped during a special drive to spot boats without proper authorisation operating off the State's coast.
The team led by V.P. Prakasan, Assistant Director, Fisheries, and K.M. Sajeev, Circle Inspector, Marine Enforcement, stopped the boat when it entered the port here on Tuesday evening. The operators were fined Rs.25,000 under the Kerala Marine Fisheries Regulation Act, 1998, and the boat was made to return to the base port.
The drive would continue to check unauthorised vessel movement along the coast, said sources.
