In a major crackdown on the vessels engaged in fishing in ecologically sensitive areas (ESA), the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has launched steps to trace down wanted’ fishing vessels included in the Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing list released by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). Recently, the IB had approached the Kerala Fisheries Department seeking the details of the vessels included in the IUU list that are suspected to be operating off Kerala coast. According to a Fisheries Department officer, nine boats from India have been included in the IUU list. Efforts are on to trace these vessels since they are engaged in illegal fishing using banned equipment and spreading nets in high-security areas, where fishing is prohibited.Though no boat registered in Kerala is included in the list, officers suspect some of the vessels named the IUU list are clandestinely operating from the Kerala coast. We have handed over the details of six vessels included in the IUU list. All these boats are registered in Tamil Nadu. Recently, our Marine Enforcement Wing had intercepted two TN-registered vessels – Beo Hingis and Carmel Matha – from Ernakulam district for engaging in illegal fishing, an officer said. Following this, the government had come out with an order directing to take strict action against these vessels. Since the Fisheries Department has no resource to trace down such vessels, the IB has come forward for the purpose, said the officer. As many as 69 vessels are included in the IUU list brought out by IOTC in 2017. While a majority of them are from Malaysia and Thailand, the identity of several vessels is unknown. Rajeev S I, Assistant Director (Marine Enforcement), Fisheries Station -Vypeen, whose team had recently intercepted two banned vessels, said both the boats have been impounded and they are not permitted to carry out any fishing activities.The vessels included in IUU list were found to be fishing near Diego Garcia, which is close to the British security territory. These vessels managed to escape before the British agency tried to intercept them. Diego Garcia is an ecologically-sensitive area. Though these vessels are registered in Tamil Nadu, they secretively operate from the Kerala coast at night. Beo Hingis was intercepted when it was filling ice cubes from Thopumpady harbour, he said.According to Rajeev, these boats violate norms to get a profitable catch. It takes around eight days to reach Diego Garcia. But in a single trip alone, the boat operators can make a profit of around `35 lakh. We had interrogated the Beo Hingis crew for suspected smuggling activities. However, they denied engaging in smuggling of goods and gold, he said. Nine Indian boats in IUU list * Fishing vessels from India in the IUU list are Benaiah, Beo Hingis, Carmel Matha, Dignamol and Sacred Heart. * Other Indian boats in the list with unknown owners are King Jesus, Shalom, Vachanam and Wisdom