• Asks global maritime to classify crime as blood fish
Piqued by the manner at which foreign trawlers get away with illegal and
irresponsible fishing in the Gulf of Guinea (GOG), the Nigerian Navy
has affirmed that Nigeria and other member countries may be dealing with
international conspiracy.
Hence, Maritime stakeholders from about 70 countries at the Global
Maritime Security Conference, agreed that GOG states and the
international community should put in place mechanisms that would ensure
that resources that are illegally harvested or explored including
stolen oil, and illegal fishery are internationally banned as the case
of blood diamonds.
A communiqué issued at the end of the 3-day Global conference,
yesterday, in Abuja, also stressed the need for GOG states to explore
the possibility of designated maritime court to handle cases of sea
robbery, piracy, and other maritime offences.The move, according to
them, would ensure quick dispensation of cases, adding that they should
also sensitise and build capacity of the judiciary on crucial relevant
legislation.
The representative of the Chief of Naval staff, Rear Admiral Begroy
Ibe-Ensor, while briefing journalists, said the Navy is also suspicious
of the international conspiracy against African countries, and
encouraged international communities to discourage their own people from
participating in this kind of illegality.He said: “and that is why one
of the recommendations clearly stated that we should designate it same
status as blood diamond; maybe blood fish or bad fish.”
Affirming that the Nigerian Navy is incapacitated to effectively
police the nation’s territorial waters given the large expanse, he said
to improve surveillance they require ships, and maybe helicopters to
sail out to sea and use their radar to see what is going on there. He
added that beyond seeing what is going on at the sea, they are also not
able to deploy ships and helicopters to effect arrest.
“It’s a work in progress; more ships are being bought by the
government. Some other levels of collaborations even the fishery
department is coming on board fully. To this extent, the Fishery
Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, had acquired two
ships to be dedicated for anti-fishery operations.”
