Activists planned to try to voyage again Thursday to the Senkaku chain of islands in the East China Sea on a "fishing trip" to proclaim Chinese sovereignty after authorities intercepted their first attempt Wednesday.
Marine police stopped the boat from leaving Hong Kong waters Wednesday night at the request of the Marine Department, according to Lo Chau, one of three activists onboard.
Lo said they planned to fish in the East China Sea, including near the disputed islands because of the abundant catches available there.
The department instructed the boat not to leave Hong Kong waters because of foreseeable fishing license violations.
The protest move came amid heightened tensions between China and Japan over the arrest of the skipper of a Chinese trawler after an altercation near the disputed islands.
Located 170 km northeast of Taipei and 410 km west of Okinawa Island, the islands' sovereignty is in dispute among Japan, which controls them, and China and Taiwan.