By JASMIN BONIMY, Guardian Staff Reporter

jasmin@nasguard.com

Defence Force officials nabbed a second Bahamian fishing vessel that had been illegally carrying a quantity of undersized crawfish on board as it traveled in the Nassau Harbor area over the holiday weekend.

According to a Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) press release, five persons have been taken into custody.

"Within a week of another Bahamian registered fishing vessel with five persons aboard, four Bahamians and one South African, were apprehended by members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force at 2:40 a.m. for violation of the Fisheries Act."

The release added that while the RBDF Harbour Unit was on routine patrol of Nassau Harbour near the Paradise Island bridge, it intercepted the fishing vessel. Finally, it added that the vessel was en route to the Berry Islands.

"After a routine boarding, the vessel was searched and 79 crawfish and 34 conch, all undersized, were discovered onboard the 27 ft. vessel," said the press release. "As a result, the vessel and crew were detained and handed over to the Police and Fisheries Department for further processing."

The illegal fishing find has been the second to occur since the crawfish season opened last Wednesday.

A RBDF statement released shortly after the discovery last week, outlined that the Bahamian registered fishing vessel with five persons on board was apprehended in the Northern Bahamas on Friday evening for violation of the Fisheries Resources Act.

Defence Force officers were reportedly on routine patrol when the Defence Force craft P123, under the command of Leading Seaman Lucitas Greene, intercepted the fishing vessel in the area of Memory Rock, just off Grand Bahama.

A thorough investigation revealed an undetermined amount of undersized crawfish on board. As a result, the vessel and its crew were detained and were handed over to the relevant authorities in Grand Bahama.

The Bahamian crawfish industry is the fourth largest in the world and the second largest in the Caribbean after Cuba. Crawfish exports make up 40 percent of the total exports of the Bahamas and 60 percent of the total fishery product landings, according to published reports.

This year's crawfish season began on August 1st and is expected to close on March 31st, 2007.

In other crime news, around 10:05 p.m. on Monday, two western New Providence residents were robbed inside of their apartments.

Police reported that three masked men armed with guns, entered the homes of two victims in the Marina Apartments near the Lyford Cay area.

"The suspects first entered a 53-year-old woman's home and tied her up," said Chief Supt. Hanna. "They proceeded to rob her of jewelry, a cell phone and a small quantity of cash. It is believed they gained entrance through a sliding door."

According to police, just minutes later, a 39-year-old male resident of the same apartment complex was also held at gunpoint by the three armed bandits.

"The three men then entered his apartment and they took a laptop before they left," Hanna explained. "We suspect that these are the same three persons connected with the first incident."

Meanwhile, another unrelated robbery was reported at Bristol Cellars on East-West Highway early yesterday morning. Police said that sometime around 4:20 a.m. a security officer on duty reported that he was "accosted by three males who beat him about the body with an object."

After the attack the three suspects entered the Bristol Cellars building by way of force. Police say they robbed the establishment of several packs of cigarettes before escaping.

Although no suspects have been identified in the recent spate of robberies, police say intense investigations are still continuing.