The Chinese fishing trawler seized off South Africa’s coast will remain in custody until its fines are paid.
The captured ship‚ the Lu Huang Yuan Yu 186‚ was arrested by South African authorities last weekend after being found to have conducted itself illegally in the country’s waters.
The boat will only be released when the fines have been paid by the owners or when a court case is concluded‚ according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa).
Samsa found on Wednesday that the trawler‚ which had nine crew members on board‚ had contravened environmental laws.
According to a statement‚ the trawler had violated South Africa’s Exclusive Economic Zone without the authority of a valid permit.
It also said the detention and fines were issued because of an unauthorised pump and flexible pipes from the engine room bilges directly over the side of the boat‚ and that no “oil record book” was available onboard the trawler.
The trawler is one of nine vessels suspected by the Department of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) of fishing illegally in South African waters.
The ships were first spotted around Durban‚ Port St John’s and Cape Recife behaving suspiciously. The DAFF dispatched the Victoria Mxenge patrol vessel to search for the ships.
The vessels were initially rounded up and ordered to obey officials‚ but soon scattered and disappeared‚ except for the one that was eventually captured and arrested‚ the DAFF said.
Samsa said that the nine vessels are believed to be from the same company and the escaped boats are en route to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Other fines will be imposed on the arrested trawler by other South African authorities‚ including the DAFF and the South African Revenue Services. – Tiso Black Star Group Digital
Maritime authority suspects arrested ship was fishing illegally in SA waters
The captured ship‚ the Lu Huang Yuan Yu 186‚ was arrested by South African authorities last weekend after being found to have conducted itself illegally in the country’s waters.
The boat will only be released when the fines have been paid by the owners or when a court case is concluded‚ according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa).
Samsa found on Wednesday that the trawler‚ which had nine crew members on board‚ had contravened environmental laws.
According to a statement‚ the trawler had violated South Africa’s Exclusive Economic Zone without the authority of a valid permit.
It also said the detention and fines were issued because of an unauthorised pump and flexible pipes from the engine room bilges directly over the side of the boat‚ and that no “oil record book” was available onboard the trawler.
The trawler is one of nine vessels suspected by the Department of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) of fishing illegally in South African waters.
The ships were first spotted around Durban‚ Port St John’s and Cape Recife behaving suspiciously. The DAFF dispatched the Victoria Mxenge patrol vessel to search for the ships.
The vessels were initially rounded up and ordered to obey officials‚ but soon scattered and disappeared‚ except for the one that was eventually captured and arrested‚ the DAFF said.
Samsa said that the nine vessels are believed to be from the same company and the escaped boats are en route to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Other fines will be imposed on the arrested trawler by other South African authorities‚ including the DAFF and the South African Revenue Services. – Tiso Black Star Group Digital
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