Illegal Fishing By Foreign Trawlers Puts Lives of Puntland Fishermen at Risk

[Deeq A.]

Lethal at sea: The trawler whose crew opened fire at Puntland fishermen.

Eyl (Puntland Post) — More then ten years after the former Puntland State Government stamped out pirate bases at Eyl, fishermen at Marraye village complain of an upsurge in illegal fishing. The fishermen at Marraye, a village under the jurisdiction of Eyl, videotaped a fishing trawler staffed by armed crew.

“The fishing trawler is getting closer the beach. It opened fire at us. Somali and non-Somali crew are on the fishing trawler. We fear that piracy will return to Eyl due to illegal fishing” said one fisherman.

Fishing trawlers seen near Puntland coasts claim to have been awarded fishing licences from Puntland State Government, but proceeds from fishing licences are not audited nor do coastal districts benefits from investment despite local fishermen’s livelihood being put at risk by illegal fishing.

Two months ago the Federal Ministry of Fisheries issued an edict rendering fishing licenses issued by Federal Member States null and avoid. The implementation of this policy faced resistance from foreign fishing companies that argued for the legality of fishing licences issued to them by federal member states.

© Puntland Post, 2022

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