One Bangladeshi fishing boat, with 28 crew members onboard, was captured in the Bay of Bengal for illegally fishing in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), as reported by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Tuesday. The apprehension took place on Sunday when an ICG ship was conducting surveillance in the Northern Bay of Bengal. The vessel was intercepted, boarded, and thoroughly inspected by the Coast Guard boarding teams for violating Indian maritime laws.
The Bangladeshi fishing boat was found operating within Indian waters without valid authorization or permits, contravening the Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981 (MZI Act). The crew failed to produce any legal documents allowing them to fish in Indian maritime zones, and their fishing gear and catch indicated active fishing in prohibited areas. Consequently, the boat and crew were taken into custody and escorted to Frazerganj for further legal actions.
The Indian Coast Guard emphasized its commitment to safeguarding India’s maritime interests, preventing illegal fishing activities, and ensuring the security of Indian fishermen in the region. The Coast Guard maintains continuous surveillance in the Bay of Bengal through air and surface patrols to enforce maritime laws and protect national maritime assets. In a separate incident on February 7, the Indian Coast Guard seized three vessels off Mumbai, uncovering an international oil smuggling operation involving multiple countries.
