Somali Fishermen in Mudug region are complaining about illegal fishing vessels that are proliferating at an alarming rate.
The local fishermen say they are to stop their work after facing a dangerous threat from illegal Foreign Fishing boats, illegally plundering the country’s marine resource.
Noor Ahmed Matan, a local fisherman said that trawlers, shows and other fishing vessels have begun to maintain an increased presence in territorial waters.
He noted that foreign trawlers are not only depleting marine resources but destroyed fishing gears and nets of local fishermen.
“The fishing ship and boats cut our gears and fishing nets and they also exploit the resources,” Matan.
Jama Ali Mohamed, who is also fisherman called on the Somali government to intervene before the country’s marine resources is totally destructed.
Up to 2.4 million tones of fish have been caught by foreign fleets off Somali waters in the past three decades, according to last year research conducted by scientists in a research programme.
Destructive fishing practices, illegal fishing, insecurity caused by conflict, underdeveloped infrastructure and competition from foreign fishing boats threaten the long-term sustainability of Somali fisheries.
Lack of proper monitoring and control has allowed foreign industrial vessels to exploit Somali marine resources or operate under dubious licenses over the years.
Some local fishermen have gone missing while others are tortured by the trawlers by spraying boiling water.
Since the collapse of the Somali government in 1991, Somalis were struggling to protect its fishery resources but due to lack of strong marine forces, the illegal fishing went out of hand.
Foreign fishing corporations have taken advantage of the defunct forces of the region and have been fishing in the Somali’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) unhindered.
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