Somalia has appealed for support from private firms in the fight against illegal fishing.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced this during an event held to celebrate the achievements of his cabinet in the last six months.
The President hit out at the foreign vessels that fish in Somali waters illegally.
He was speaking a day after signing the Somali Fisheries Development and Management Law.
“Illegal fishing has been rampant in Somalia over the last 30 years,” President Mohamud stated categorically.
“More than a thousand vessels are currently fishing illegally in our waters,” he added.
According to President Mohamud, the situation is worsened by the government’s inability to get funds for protecting the country’s waters.
Consequently, the best solution is a long-term agreement with private firms.
That way, the firms would be able to fish legally thus ensuring that the government gets revenue from fishing.
