Illegal fishing targeting tuna in Somali waters reveals a major weakness in the country’s maritime administration.
A report issued by ENACT said that Somalia’s rich fishing resources are facing increasing threats from foreign vessels engaged in illegal activities.
The report said that these activities cost Somalia about $300 million a year.
Yellowfin tuna, one of the most valuable fish in the world market, is particularly targeted because of its high demand.
Foreign vessels, especially Chinese ones, are said in the report to use destructive techniques such as bottom trawling and the use of large seines, depleting fish stocks.
The ENACT report pointed out that poorly managed fishing contracts and a lack of administrative transparency exacerbated this problem.
For example, a 2018 agreement allowed Chinese companies to fish within 24 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia without strict monitoring. Critics of these agreements have argued that rampant corruption has weakened the country’s fisheries sector.
