Four boats seized for violating shrimping ban

TDT | Manama

Coast Guard Commander, Major-General Alaa Siyadi announced yesterday that eight fishermen were arrested and four boats were seized for violating the shrimping ban. Shrimps and illegal shrimping trawling were confiscated. Legal proceedings were taken to refer the case to the Public Prosecution. He called upon fishermen to follow the rules and co-operate for their safety. 

The Coast Guard Command recently announced that it has tightened all measures to implement the law to decrease marine crime. The command said that it has drawn up a clear strategic plan to implement maritime laws and reduce crimes, including illegal fishing and unregulated fishing to enhance maritime security in co-operation with relevant entities.

Maj Gen Siyadi highlighted the legal action for minor violations that include wasting Coast Guards efforts to arrest fleeing boats. He explained that the smuggling of weapons and drugs started since 2013 and continues until now. Bahrain’s marine security is changing and arms and drug smugglers are taking all opportunities to distract the Coast Guards who are combating illegal fishing, he said.

The new laws include deportation for every foreigner who violates Bahrain’s fishing laws. Mr Siyadi indicated that the Coast Guard has tightened maritime surveillance through coastal radars, near and far cameras, and international automatic identification devices. The Coast Guard is making sure that such devices are installed on the more than 7,000 registered boats.

As many as 179 marine safety violations were reported last year, according to the Kingdom’s Coast Guard. Mr Siyadi, earlier said that violations that are committed at night and with the current situations could jeopardise the safety of violators who would be held legally accountable. The official revealed that during 2019, a total of 179 violations were reported and legal steps were taken against them.