Navy hands over arrested trawlers, crew members to department of fisheries

Operatives of the Nigerian Navy yesterday handed over four fishing trawlers, 52 crew members including three foreigners arrested over illegal fishing activities in Brass River to the Federal Department of Fisheries and Agriculture for further investigation. The four vessels named; Star Shrimpers 3, Cosmos 1, Trade wind and ORC VII, with the 52 crew members […]

Operatives of the Nigerian Navy yesterday handed over four fishing trawlers, 52 crew members including three foreigners arrested over illegal fishing activities in Brass River to the Federal Department of Fisheries and Agriculture for further investigation.

The four vessels named; Star Shrimpers 3, Cosmos 1, Trade wind and ORC VII, with the 52 crew members including three Ghanaians who were arrested last week, were handed over to officials of the agency by the Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base, FORMOSO, Brass, Navy Captain Suleiman Ibrahim.

Captain Ibrahim, while handing over the suspects, said the cordial relationship between the Navy, the Federal Department of Fisheries and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is yielding positive results.

He explained that just a few days ago, two vessels with crew members were also handed over for trespassing the restricted zones, adding that the law states clearly that fishing trawlers were not allowed to fish within the five nautical miles restricted zone.

He said: “The Navy detected the illegal activities of these four fishing vessels with the use of maritime domain awareness equipment trawling within the 5 nautical miles restricted zones, and we thereafter deployed to intercept them.

“Precisely on the 24th of September, we handed over two fishing trawlers for fishing within the 5 nautical miles restricted zone, equally the same scenario is happening again, four fishing trawlers were also arrested for the same offense and we intercepted them.

“And I believe that with this existing collaboration and partnership with other government agencies, they’ll be able to educate the companies more on the need to avoid restricted areas to avoid crisis with local fishermen.

Assistant Director and head, Monitoring Control and Surveillance in the Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mr. Popoola Babatunde, said after extensive discussion with the captains and crew members of the seized vessels, he observed that the vessels dropped within the non- trawling zones which are restricted areas meant for canoe fishermen.

He noted that appropriate action will be taken against them if found culpable.

Captain Emilola Tebiti of Vessel ORC Vii and his counterpart, Captain Matthew Hamusa, of Vessel Star Shrimpers 3, accepted the charge but argued that their radar and GPRS while trawling showed they were not within the restricted areas.

They said their various companies were aware of the allegations with documented records, adding that at the time they were intercepted, they were still around 6.2 and 5.5 miles shore range respectively.