Doha – Qatar on Tuesday accused Bahrain of abusing fisheries case to deepen diplomatic crisis between the emirate and its Gulf states, the official QNA news agency reported.
Qatar condemned the statement issued by Bahraini Interior Ministry on the detention of 15 Bahraini boats carrying 20 sailors, QNA said.
An interior ministry official said the 15 Bahraini fishing boats seized by Qatari coastguard had been operating illegally in the emirate’s waters and held under routine procedures.
The 20 fishermen on board would be released in the next three days, while courts would decide what would happen to the boats.
The official told QNA that the Coast and Borders Security Department had repeatedly warned fishermen not to operate in Qatari waters and not to use harmful fishing practices.
Qatar had a longstanding territorial dispute with Bahrain over the waters and small islands that separate the peninsula from the main islands of its maritime neighbour which was resolved by International Court of Justice in 2001. (Xinhua/NAN)