The Maritime Police have been busy inspecting boats moored at the fishing harbour on Culatra island following complaints by fishermen that so many leisure boats were using the area, legitimate fishermen were being hampered.
As a result of the police visit, fifteen recreational craft were identified as being moored in spaces reserved for boats involved in fishing and other activities that support the island’s marine trade.
The list of names has been sent to the port authority which will be issuing fines.
The Vila Real de Santo António lifeboat was called out to help a 7-meter, Spanish registered leisure boat which aimlessly was drifting offshore.
The five people were on board were in no immediate danger but the boat was towed to the VRSA dock anyway as it had no power.
The Ferragudo lifeboat was called out on Wednesday to pick up two passengers from a maritime-tourist boat who were feeling unwell. The passengers were taken to Portimão Marina and then transported by ambulance to Portimão hospital.
At Praia de Faro, Maritime Police confiscated illegal fishing nets that are highly dangerous for bathers. The dawn raid on Wednesday followed a tip-off that people were fishing with nets which, if left in place, could trap and drown swimmers.
The Maritime Police explained that the use of this type of fishing gear "in addition to being located less than ¼ of a nautical mile from the coastline, as legally stipulated, also constitutes a danger to navigation and to the many bathers who use the beach."
At around 6:30 a.m. an individual who had set up a 100 metres of net perpendicular to the coastline, was nabbed. His fishing gear was seized, and the fish the man had caught were donated to the Aboim Ascensão children’s refuge in Faro.
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