Mangalore : As many as 15 fishermen from Kerala were arrested and two boats seized at Mangalore on November 20, Tuesday  for illegally engaging in fishing cuttle fish. It is learnt they had also entered the south wharf for unloading.

The two seized boats are owned by Sainaz and Varghese Antony. The Coastal Security Police informed that the Kerala boats had no permission to unload their catch in Mangalore. One of the boats also did not have permits.

The action came after a fishermen leader had complained regarding the illegal fishing of cuttle fish The cuttle fish from the two boats have been auctioned for Rs 2.5 lakhs, police informed.

Nitin Kumar, Chairman of Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation said though local fishermen had stopped the practice of illegal fishing of cuttle fish, fishermen from Kerala still resorted to such practice.