Venezuelan captains fined for illegal fishing

According to the Coast Guard, a magistrate also ordered the captains to distribute the catch to homes and other places but unfortunately some of the catch had begun to spoil. The vessels were escorted back to Venezuela by the Coast Guard on Friday afternoon.

On Wednesday, 23 Venezuelans were detained by the Coast Guard in two separate interceptions, one for illegal fishing and the second for lack of documentation.

In the first interception, which occurred at 3.25 pm, 16 Venezuelans on two Venezuelan registered fishing vessels were seen illegally fishing four nautical miles north west of the Toucan Platform, approximately 68 km east of Manzanilla.

The Coast Guard said communication with workers of the platform confirmed the vessels had been fishing under the structure from 8 am until about noon that day, after which they proceeded north westward. The Coast Guard patrol observed the Venezuelan boats engaged in fishing and on approach they began hauling in their lines.

The vessels were subsequently boarded and searched and a quantity of fish was found in the cargo hold of both vessels.

The vessels were escorted into Scarborough for processing by the Police Service, the Customs and Excise Division and the Immigration Division.

The second interception occurred at about 8.20 pm and involved a blue and white Venezuelan registered vessel with seven occupants on board which was detained approximately seven kilometres west of Cabriese Point on Chacachacare Island.

The Coast Guard reported warning shots were fired to stop the vessel. Searches were conducted but nothing illegal was found except for groceries and other miscellaneous items.

“However, none of the occupants on board the boat carried any documentation for the legal entry into Trinidad and Tobago.

As such, the vessel with its occupants and contents on board was escorted to Staubles Bay.” The police, Customs and Excise Division and the Immigration Division were called to process the detained Venezuelans.