6 Chinese vessels enter SA waters without permission
The fishing trawlers were detained and issued with fines after they had entered South African waters without the required permission, the Department of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries confirmed in a statement.
According to the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), the trawlers were detected entering the South African Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the Northern Cape coast on 3 April 2020, after being ordered out of Namibian waters by the Namibian authorities.
The Fishery patrol vessel, the Sarah Baartman, later intercepted the vessels off the Western Cape coast and ordered them to the outer anchorage of the Port of Cape Town.
After the vessels were intercepted 7 April, the Chinese embassy submitted a diplomatic note asking for permission for the vessels to stay and seek shelter from adverse weather in Cape Town.
The vessels were then boarded by an integrated Operation Phakisa Initiative 5 team and inspected, whereupon no fish were found. All fishing gear was stored as per regulations in the Marine Living Resources Act.
The vessels were fined for entering South African waters without the relevant permission. After the fines were paid, the six trawlers were released and monitored while they travelled across South African waters.
In Port Elizabeth, the vessels asked for permission to shelter in Algoa Bay from heavy weather conditions, a request that was approved by the South African Maritime Safety Authority. After leaving Algoa Bay the vessels sailed up the coast and subsequently left South African waters late on 19 April.
According to the department, there was no illegal activity while these ships were in South African waters.
During the nationwide lockdown period, integrated teams have been deployed under Operation Phakisa along the coast to support the national effort to protect the country’s marine resources – on the coastline and at sea.
The team, which includes enforcement officials, monitors for infringements related to the Marine Living Resources Act, the Road Traffic Act, non-compliance with Covid-19 Disaster Management regulations, and other criminal activity in general.
The department went on to say that they encourage the public to contact the environmental crimes and incidents 24-hour hotline on 0800 205 005 to report any illegal environmental activities, including suspicious activity along the coastline.
