Oak Bluffs police and emergency management personnel were dispatched to a possible boater in distress near the Little Bridge Monday afternoon, but instead found a man scalloping in a small, unregistered wooden skiff.

Instead of being rescued he was issued a ticket for operating an unregistered motor vessel.

Police were first alerted to a possible boater in trouble in Nantucket Sound off the breakwater around 3 p.m. Oak Bluffs Lieut. Timothy Williamson, officers David Berube and Jeffrey LaBell, and emergency management coordinator Peter Martell responded.

The Dukes County communications center also notified the U.S. Coast Guard.

When officers arrived they observed what appeared to be a small skiff floating approximately 200 yards off Harthaven harbor. From their location they were unable to see anyone on board, so they summoned the Oak Bluffs patrol boat.

When the patrol boat approached the vessel, approximately 200 yards from the sea wall, the operators found Michael A. Briggs, who said he was fine and only scalloping. Officers then saw that the vessel had no registration numbers and was missing several required safety items. Police escorted Mr. Briggs into the Oak Bluffs harbor and issued him a citation for operating an unregistered motor vessel.