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Mogadishu court fines 36 foreign fishers convicted of illegal fishing in Somali water
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    Tuesday June 6, 2023

    Mogadishu (HOL) – The Banadir Regional Court on Tuesday found 36 foreign fishermen guilty of engaging in illegal fishing activities within Somali waters.

    The fishermen, who hail from Iran and Pakistan, were apprehended off the coast of Hobyo in the Mudug region while operating fishing boats without licenses within Somali territory.

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    The chairman of the Banadir Regional Court, Salah Ali Mohamud, announced that following three hearings of their case, the regional court issued a verdict, imposing a fine of $11,000 on each offender. Additionally, the court ordered them to provide Somalia with an additional $30,000 as compensation for the fish they unlawfully harvested and transported to Oman. This ruling relates to an incident on November 29, 2022.

    The court's decision emphasizes the commitment of the Somali government to protect its marine resources and combat illegal fishing practices. By holding these foreign fishermen accountable, the court sends a clear message that such violations will not be tolerated.

    Since January 2023, evidence collected by the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy reveals multiple foreign fishing vessels operating unlawfully in the Somali Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). For years, Somali waters have been plagued by Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, resulting in severe environmental and economic repercussions.

    Somali fisheries law and the nation's constitution dictate that only the Federal Government's Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy can issue foreign fishing permits.

    The Ministry confirmed that the fishing vessels in question are operating without access agreements or licenses from the Federal Government. In September, the Puntland regional government rejected a federal directive to deny state-level fishing licenses, arguing it violated resource-sharing agreements with Somalia's regional governments.

     





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