STAVROPOL. Oct 17 (Interfax-AVN) - Borders guards of the North Caucasus Regional Border Guard Directorate of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) have apprehended in excess of 470 trespassers on the Black, Azov, and Caspian Seas in 2003, the directorate's press-service told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
"In the past nine month border guards and maritime patrols of the North Caucasus Regional Border Guard Directorate have apprehended more than 1,200 vessels and over 470 trespassers on the Black, Azov, and Caspian Seas," a press-service official said.
According to him, within the same period of time the directorate has confiscated about 1,300 boat motors, over a dozen satellite navigation systems, 840 m of fishing nets, and more than 35,000 other poacher devices from poachers, as well as 140 tons of seafood, including 85 tons of sturgeon fish, and 55 tons of lucioperca fish. Damage suits have been filed for a total of RUB2.5m (USD83,000), the press-service official said.