Iran seizes 4 trespassing Indian fishing boats, arrests crew

Commander of Abadan Coast Guard, Mohammad Ali Mousivand, said early Sunday that four Indian fishing boats that had trespassed into the Iranian territorial waters in Arvand waterway were seized by the coast guard forces for illegal fishing, and all 22 crew members were arrested.

Iran closely monitors all movements in its territorial waters, particularly in the Persian Gulf, to protect marine life and at the same time ensure the security of the country’s marine borders. Under Iran's law, fishing for rare marine creatures carries hefty cash fines.

Back in September, the coastguard forces of Iran’s southern Kish Island detained seven crew members of a fishing boat in the Persian Gulf belonging to what he described as an Arab littoral state. According to him, the vessel’s crew members were fishing rare and endangered species, particularly blacktip and whitetip sharks.