Shrimp Poachers Jailed and Deported for Breaching Ban

TDT | Manama
Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

A group of shrimpers who tried to flee from Coast Guard patrols during Bahrain’s seasonal fishing ban have been jailed for 10 days, with five Indian nationals to be deported once their time is served.

They were caught using banned bottom trawl nets (known locally as Koofa) to haul in young shrimp during the closed season.

One of the seven men, who include two Bahrainis, was also fined BD50.

Confiscation

The Second Lower Criminal Court, sitting on Thursday, 27 March 2025, ordered the boats, nets, and catch to be confiscated.

The arrests followed two separate chases in March.

In the first, the Coast Guard spotted a boat carrying four Indian men suspected of fishing illegally.

Escape

As the patrol closed in, the men attempted to escape, steering straight into the officers’ boat.

One fell overboard in the commotion but was pulled from the water. The others were caught shortly after.

Their boat had Koofa nets on board but no safety equipment.

In the second incident, another vessel was found with a Bahraini and an Indian national aboard.

Patrol

They also tried to outrun the patrol but were soon stopped. Inside the boat, officers found banned nets and 32.72 kilograms of undersized shrimp.

Prosecutors interviewed all seven men and laid out multiple charges.

Charges

These included fishing during the ban, using outlawed equipment, attempting to evade inspection, and heading to sea without life jackets, a fire extinguisher, or a first aid kit.

Licenses

They were also accused of taking boats out without licenses, switching off the tracking system, and sailing without lights.

Investigators said the four men in the first boat had acted in coordination with the Bahraini owner. All seven admitted to their actions.

They were held for a week while inquiries continued before being sent to court. The final ruling came at the end of March.