Fisheries: 37 Illegal Ships Caught in West Africa, Greenpeace

Dakar, 03/05/2017 (MAP) – A total of 37 illegal fisheries boats were caught by environmental NGO “Greenpeace” in six west African countries.

The patrolling was carried out for 11 weeks in the waters of Cape Verde, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Senegal and Sierra Leone by the vessel “My Esperanza”, which belongs to the said NGO that specializes in the protection of the environment, said on Tuesday in Dakar Ahmed Diamé, official in charge of ocean protection in Greenpeace.

Of the 37 caught vessels, 13 are conducting illegal fishing. 4 were arrested in Guinea-Bissau, 3 in Guinea, 3 in Sierra Leone, and one in Senegal, Diamé said at a press briefing on the results of the control operation.

“These are mainly Chinese, Korean, Italian and Comoros ships,” he added, stressing that the control operation was carried out in collaboration with the authorities of the Six West African countries and the Sub-regional Fisheries Commission, which brings together several West African States.