Somalia losing $300 million to illegal fishing, US says

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The illegal, uninterrupted, and unregulated fishing is costing Somalia millions of dollars, the US says, with the country's potential being exploited by foreigners who take advantage of the ongoing state-building to terrorize the Indian Ocean stretch in the country.

Somalia is one of the countries with the largest coastlines extending for 3,333 kilometers from Kiunga in Lamu to miles to the north past the port of Berbera, which is becoming a crucial entry for goads destined for East Africa.

The new port has even overtaken the fortunes of Mombasa Port in Kenya.

According to the US, illegal, uninterrupted, and unregulated fishing has cost the country fortunes, noting that the most affected people are local fishermen who depend on fishing as their economic activity. The proceeds of fishing, the US added, are diverted from the local economy.

"An estimated $300 million is lost annually in Somalia due to illegal, unreported and unregulated [IUU] fishing, which damages local marine resources, affects the livelihoods of local fishermen and diverts funds away from Somalia’s economic development," read the statement by the US.

For years, the long coastline was affected by piracy but the multi-agency security support has greatly neutralized the pirates, giving illegal fishermen an opportunity to terrorize the area. The government of Somalia has tried to establish some measures but all in vain.

On Tuesday, a Banadir Court issued lenient sentences for 33 Iranians and 3 Pakistanis who were arrested in the coastline fishing without authority. The 36 people were arrested by security forces in April 2022 and have been undergoing trial in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

The court fined them $396,000 [each$11,000] and ruled confiscation of the two boats, equipment, and 24,850 tons of fish they illegally caught in Somalia waters.

The court also fined the fishermen $30,000 for a previous theft of fish from Somalia in November last year in one of the landmark judgments.

Somalia has the potential of generating millions of dollars from fishing and oil, but the long process of state-building has had an adverse effect on her economy.

Besides the illegal fighting, the country is also fighting against Al-Shabaab militants who have dominated the Horn of Africa nation for a couple of years.

GAROWE ONLINE