Over 600kg of shrimp seized, 22 arrested in two months

Manama : More than 600 kilogrammes of illegally caught shrimps have been seized by the Coast Guards in the past two months, Coast Guard Commander Brigadier Alaa Siyadi said in a press statement issued here yesterday.

Eighteen persons have been arrested and referred to the Public Prosecution in connection with the case, Brigadier Alaa Siyadi.

“Twenty-two related-cases were referred to the Public Prosecution. Around 10 shrimp catching nets and 614kg of fresh shrimps illegally caught were seized,” Brigadier Siyadi added.

The arrests were made as part of ministerial resolution 27 of 2017 issued by Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf on banning the catch and sale of fresh shrimps between March 15 and September 15.

The official’s statements came amidst calls made by local fishermen to tighten supervision on territorial waters to curb illegal catch, sale and smuggling of fresh Bahraini shrimps. DT had reported illegal catch and sale of shrimps are rampant in the Kingdom.

 As reported earlier, the ban on shrimping is implemented annually since 1980 in a bid to protect marine resources by allowing the shrimps to grow and reproduce.

According to the minister’s resolution, violators of the ban are subjected to fines and penalties that include imprisonment and confiscation of boats and fishing equipment.