Operatives of the Nigerian Navy (NN), have arrested two fishing trawlers belonging to a Nigerian company (ORC fishing and food processing Limited) and 26 crew members, including one Indian national, three Ghanaians for illegal fishing activities.
The two vessels ORC 5 and CYNTHIA with thirteen crew members each were arrested for allegedly fishing within the restricted distance of 5 nautical miles off the Nigerian coastline.
Handing over the vessels, and their contents, with all 26 crew members to the Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Commanding Base officer, FORMOSO, Capt, Suleiman Ibrahim, said the Navy detected the illegal activities of the two fishing vessels with the use of maritime domain awareness equipment trawling within the 5 nautical miles restricted zones, adding that they thereafter deployed to intercept them.
Capt. Ibrahim, noted that ordinarily, the area was supposed to be used by local fishermen and not bigger vessels with monitoring to avoid conflicts, adding that the act was done intentionally because they know the regulations and its implications if violated.
He, however, said further investigations will be done by the relevant authorities and if they are found culpable they will face the law accordingly.
He also advised them operate within laid down rules and regulations, which are well-known by them through seminars conducted by the government agencies and other close interactions.
“The 5 nautical miles restriction zones is suppose to be used by artisan fishermen locally, but we detected and apprehended these two vessels while fishing in the restricted zones, and the monitoring is done to prevent conflicts between the both of them. The regulation is known to all the fishing companies, and it is clear that by this acts the two trawlers deliberately carried out their actions.”
“My advise is that they operate within every laid down rules and regulations, which are well-known to them through the seminars conducted by the government agencies.”
In his brief, the Assistant Director, Monitoring Control and Surveillance unit, of the Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mr. Paul Opoama, confirmed that he had officially received the 2 vessels and crew members arrested by the Navy for onward investigation.
“We have a collaboration with the Nigerian Navy in terms of Mou, that is why the two trawlers were apprehended for violating the sea fishery acts of which vessels are not suppose to trawl within the first 5 nautical miles.”
The captain of the ORC 5 vessel, Mr. Olayeye Ejagbomo, and his counterpart, with vessel CYNTHIA, Mr. Ayemobuma Omosuyi, didn’t deny the allegation of fishing in the restricted area.
While Omosuyi was silent on every allegation ranging from illegal fishing to having 2 additional crew members on board with no official documentation and means of identification, Ejagbomo, claimed to have lost communication signals with his company on complaints of slow speed, hence he moved within the illegal area.
When asked why he had 2 additional crew members and some with no means of identification, he couldn’t give any cogent response.
Comments