Unregulated fishing #Somalia

Focusing on International Law, Illegal Unregulated
and Unreported Fisheries and Maritime Safety and
Security, the workshop brought together
representatives of the Somali Federal
Government, Somaliland, Puntland and Djibouti.
Delegates discussed the impact of illegal,
unregulated and unreported fisheries and agreed
that "'Illegal fishing occurs in all parts of our
waters even within areas under our national
jurisdiction; this situation poses a direct and
significant threat to effective conservation and
management of our natural fish stocks, causing
multiple adverse consequences for fisheries and
for citizens who depend on them in the pursuit of
their legitimate livelihoods."
There was general concern that the Horn of Africa
fishery management objectives had become
frustrated by external influences. Delegates agreed
that continuation of illegal fishing could lead to the
collapse of fisheries as well as seriously impair
efforts to rebuild depleted fish stocks. Larger
ships from international fishing fleets, from both
Asia and Europe, were identified as particularly
responsible for taking over fishing fields from
legitimate local vessels.
A number of possible action points were raised
and the workshop, facilitated by the Fish I Africa
Organization and the African Maritime Safety and
Security Agency, ended with a unanimous
decision to develop the formation of a Task Force
which would focus on developing a Sustainable
Fisheries Management Strategy for the Horn of
Africa.