Navy holds fishing boat off Blasket Islands

The Naval Service has detained an Irish fishing boat off the Blasket Islands for breaching regulations.

The LE Niamh stopped the boat yesterday evening about 92km (50 nautical miles ) west of the Co Kerry islands.

It escorted the vessel to Castletownbere, Co Cork where it arrived at 5am. The Naval Service is handing the vessel over to the Garda.

“The detention was in relation to an alleged breach of fishing regulations,” the Naval Service said.

It is the fifth vessel to be detained so far this year by the Naval Service, which has issued warnings to 17 boats and boarded 452 others in 2013.