Somali Coastguards seizes illegal vessel fishing off Hobyo coast
2 min read
Galmudug naval forces operating in Hobyo district have seized a fishing vessel that was fishing illegally off the coast of Hobyo in Mudug region.
According to reports, the seized ship was carrying the Chinese flag and was brought to the port of Hobyo in the Galmudug state of Somalia.
Hobyo Coast Guard Commander Abdirahman Ali Dbiblawe told reporters that they are now holding the ship and all its crew.
The Coast Guard commander also confirmed that there were 17 crew members on board from China, Indonesia and India.
He added that they have been tracking the vessel, which has been fishing illegally for some time, and will take strong action against it.
He underlined that they will continue their activities against foreign vessels fishing off the coast of the administration.
However, the move by the Somali regional government of Galmudug comes at a time when Somali fishermen have been complaining in recent months about large vessels fishing illegally off the coast of Somalia.
Last month, Somalia’s Attorney General Suleiman Mohamed Mohamud said foreign governments and other agencies are engaged in illegal fishing in Somali waters.
Suleiman noted that there are Somalis who are assisting these agencies and countries in illegal fishing, which he described as unacceptable.
The prosecutor said the Somali government is fully committed to curbing illegal fishing by Somali companies in Somali waters.
He noted that the Somali Ministry of Fisheries is working to combat illegal fishing.
“Illegal fishing in the country is one of the major disasters in the country’s resources, and people have come to Somalia to work illegally to exploit our country’s resources,” he said.
The Somali government has stepped up in protecting the coast from illegal fishing although corruption has meant that some officials working alongside those accused of fishing illegally of the long stretch of ocean that Somalia possesses.
Read More: Foreign vessels conduct illegal fishing off the coast of Somalia
Read More: Somali Attorney General; ‘foreign ships are fishing illegally in our sea’s
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