A FISHERMAN was arrested when he fell overboard while fleeing a Coastguard patrol which spotted his boat allegedly violating fishing laws in a prohibited maritime zone.
The Coastguard yesterday said a boat with four fishermen was spotted shrimping using illegal bottom trawl nets within a prohibited maritime zone designated for the 3D marine survey project operated by Energies.
They were also violating the ongoing shrimping ban.
Upon sighting the patrol, the boat’s crew cut the net rope and attempted to flee, resulting in one of them falling into the sea.
He was rescued and safely recovered, while the boat managed to escape, the Coastguard said.
It said the net was seized at the scene.