Captains and owners of ships which enter Italian territory without permission - including migrant rescue boats - will be fined up to 50,000 euros, Italy's hardline interior minister Matteo Salvini said on Wednesday.
"Today, thanks to the new security decree, ships that break the rules will receive fines of up to 50,000 euros," Salvini said in video posted to Facebook.
Italy's populist government issued the controversial new security decree on Tuesday. It has entered into immediate effect and must be voted into law by the Italian parliament within 60 days.
The decree's measures drew sharp criticism last month from six United Nations experts. In a letter to the government, the experts recalled that under international law Italy is obliged to rescue migrants in distress and cannot impede others from doing so
The UN special rapporteurs, who urged officials to reply to their letter, asked for the withdrawal of two previous directives denying access to Italian ports to ships operated by NGOs that have rescued migrants off Libya's coasts.
The letter sparked a furious reaction from Salvini, who wrote to Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte and foreign minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi demanding that the government take "a tough stance" against the UN experts.
Salvini's letter also demanded clarification on the value of Italy's budget contributions to the world body.