Fishing boats fined Rs 2.5 lakh each for unauthorized film shooting at sea

The Fisheries Department has imposed fines of Rs 2.5 lakh each on two fishing boat owners for allowing their boats to be used for film shooting at sea without prior permission. The incident came to light during a routine inspection as part of the Indian Navy’s ongoing coastal security exercise ‘Sea Vigil’, officials said on Thursday.

The boats, identified as ‘Bharat Ratna’ and ‘Bharat Sagar’, were seized on Wednesday after coastal police alerted the Vipin fishing station about unauthorized firing in the Chellanam area of ​​the Arabian Sea. During an inspection by Vypin’s NCIS team, it was discovered that both vessels did not have valid licenses and one was found unfit for service.

“During an inspection on Wednesday, after the seizure of the boats, it was found that the vessels were being operated without valid licenses for a long period and one of them had also become unusable,” the officials added, reported PTI.

In a statement, the Fisheries Department confirmed that none of the vessels had received the mandatory special permits required for non-fishing activities such as film production. Additionally, according to the report, the 33-member crew on board the vessels were found without any safety equipment, a serious violation of maritime safety regulations.

“Special permission is required to use fishing vessels for purposes other than fishing,” the official said. The approval process includes an assessment of the vessel’s operational condition, life-saving equipment, passenger capacity and verification of all necessary legal documents.

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