Sierra Leones authorities has thankt EJF for supporting and collaboration leading to the arrest of the pirate trawler APSARI-3.
Daniel Mansaray who is the commander of the Sierra Leone Navy said of EJF’s actions leading to the arrest of the trawler, “we wish to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to the Environmental Justice Foundation... and our full support for your activities to end illegal fishing in Sierra Leone”.
EJF has investigate the extent and impacts of illegal fishing by foreign trawlers in Sierra Leone.
Some of the campaigners from EJF where traveling true the country and worked with local's trying to identify where those pirates fishers operate and where they going with their illigal activity's.
During the course of the investigations of the foundation they have find out that vessels are aproching as close of 500 m. from the coast within the 500 mile zone. That is far inside the area that is reserved for the local fisherman. Input from the local's en careful observation has learned us that there are special places where these pirate fisherman operates.
Governments of several West African states,including Sierra Leone, doesn'thave enough resources to monitor and patrol their coastal waters, which is well known by the pirate fishers.
EJF was able to provide the information and evidence of the illegal fishing activities, and collaborated with the Sierra Leone authorities to run a patrol to one of the most affected areas. Local fishermen were able to provide confirmation to EJF investigators of the presence of pirate vessels, leading to the successful boarding and arrest of the APSARI-3 for illegal fishing in Sierra Leone waters. The captain of the vessel never expected a patrol to be run to the area, over-confident that Sierra Leone was unable to do so.
Once on board it became clear just why these pirate trawlers are having such an impact on local fish stocks and fishing communities. The trawl net, when hauled aboard, contained dozens of marine species. Below the ship’s decks a factory style operation meant only those fish considered to have value were kept – all the rest, over half, were simply dumped over the side, dead.
The APSARI-3 was escorted to the capital city, Freetown, and fined for illegally fishing. Yet for every successful arrest there are likely to be dozens more pirate trawlers fishing off the coast of West Africa, robbing some of the poorest countries in the world of food and income. Sierra Leone is in desperate need of international support, and EJF will continue to work with its partners in Sierra Leone on national and international efforts to end pirate fishing once and for all.
source: EJF