2 FISHERMEN HELD IN SEA `ROAD RAGE'.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer

An apparent turf battle between two squid fishermen escalated to a shootout at sea when they fired on each other from their boats, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department reported.

John L. Birgel, 46, of Ventura and Frank S. Flores, 32, of Monterey remained in county jail Thursday in lieu of $50,000 bail each, both having been arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, authorities said.

``It's like road rage on the water,'' said sheriff's spokesman Eric Nishimoto.

Neither was hurt in the incident.

The U.S. Coast Guard received distress calls at 7:55 p.m. Wednesday from Birgel and Flores, who were the only ones aboard their vessels, Asperation and Obsession, respectively.

Each reported that the other had fired upon their boats near Anacapa Island, officials said.

``They fired multiple times,'' Nishimoto said. ``We don't know how close they got.''

Nishimoto said both men used .22-caliber rifles and it's unclear who fired the first shot. There were other boats near the scene during the shooting, he said.

The Coast Guard boarded both vessels and secured the weapons, then escorted the vessels to the Channel Island Harbor Patrol Dock, authorities said.

Deputies took over the investigation and discovered that before the shooting both men, who were fishing, had engaged in an oral dispute over their marine radios about fishing locations.

Nishimoto said incidents such as this are highly uncommon.

``Squid fishermen tend to be a cooperative lot,'' he said. ``They have big boats that shine lights on the water to attract the squid to the surface and smaller boats come by with nets to catch them, so the more lights, the better.''