The Hindu : State fishermen told to pay fine

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

State fishermen told to pay fine

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, JAN. 27. The crew of the 11 mechanised fishing vessels, which are in the custody of the Orissa Government, have been asked to pay fines for their release.

Sources in the mechanised fishing sector here said on Tuesday that the Orissa Fisheries Department, having heard the crew and the Coast Guard on the circumstances leading to the seizure of the 11 vessels from the Andhra coast, finally indicated the fine amounts payable by the boat owners.

The sources said that the fine amount was five times the price of the catch that the 11 mechanised vessels were carrying at the time of their seizure. "The catches were auctioned off around Rs. 17,000 and the fine amount communicated to the boat owners is Rs. 85,000,'' they disclosed.

Though the Fisheries Department had declared the fine amount, the date of release of the boats "is yet to be announced.''

The vessels were seized by the Coast Guard nearly a month ago and handed over to the Orissa Government for straying into the zone barred for fishing to protect Olive Ridley turtles.

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Andhra Pradesh