An Italian fishing vessel was intercepted early yesterday morning by the Armed Forces five miles within Malta’s fisheries and conservation management zone, the AFM said yesterday.

The interception was made at 2.25am by patrol boat P51, which was on a routine patrol. The Delfino was found trawling within the 25 nautical mile Maltese Fisheries and Conservation Management Zone. It lay 20 nautical miles northwest of San Dimitri point in Gozo.

The statement said the fishing vessel and its four crew members were detained, and were yesterday evening escorted to Malta to be handed over to the Fisheries Department and the police authorities for further investigation.