Suspected illegal fishing vessel captured
The South African Navy has been called in to help chase down suspected illegal fishing vessels spotted in South African waters.
THE Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has captured a suspected illegal fishing vessel which has been escorted to the port of Cape Town.
The vessel is one of nine spotted earlier in the week and believed to be fishing illegally in South African waters. The vessels were seen around Durban, Port Saint Johns and Cape Recife. The Department dispatched its patrol vessel, Victoria Mxenge to search for the vessels and on 12 May they were instructed to follow an escort to the Port of Saldana for proper inspection.
However, during the course of the night the vessels dispersed in different direction making it difficult for the Mxenge to give chase. It did however manage to capture and board one of the vessels which is being escorted to the port of Cape Town.
Minister of Defence, Mrs Nosiviwe Mapisa Nqakula has called on the South African Navy to assist with the chase of the other vessels. Western Cape Police have also been called in to assist.
South Africans are urged to notify the department should they spot suspicious vessels at sea. Contact the department’s Vessel Monitoring Operations Room on 021 402 3077/ 3076.
