By Dawan Africa - Reporter
Somali police have set strict orders targeting fishing industries, boat owners, and fishermen in a move to regulate maritime activities.
The police have imposed a curfew starting at 6:00 pm for boats operating between Jaziira Bateero and Liido ports, as well as for those engaged in fishing in the ocean through this entry point.
The police have mandated that all boats must undergo security checks upon entering these ports.
They have also called on the owners to actively manage and supervise the activities of their boats and those who use them.
Somalia has recently taken crucial steps to combat illegal fishing within its territorial waters.
Last month, Benadir Regional Court of Appeal judged 36 foreign nationals who were arrested for illegal fishing within Somalia’s sea territory.
The court fined each of them $12,000, making a total fine of $432,000 for all the defendants.
Said Ali Mohamed, the judge declared that the permit letters presented by the defendants’ lawyers did not comply with Federal Government maritime laws.
The judge dismissed a $30,000 fine imposed on the defendants by the lower court but ruled that the government would seize their boats.
These 36 foreign nationals were arrested last year for unlawfully engaging in fishing within Somalia's maritime boundaries.
