Chinese vessel suspected of illegal fishing on SA waters to be inspected
Members of the Western Cape police are today expected to inspect a captured Chinese vessel believed to have been fishing illegally in South African waters.
In a statement released yesterday, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said it had spotted nine vessels on Thursday suspected of fishing illegally around Durban, Port St Johns and Cape Recife. Officials say after the South African patrol ship, Victoria Mxenge, found the trawlers they cooperated and were escorted to the Port of Saldanha Bay for proper inspection.
Eight of the vessels are said to have however taken off at night in different directions, prompting the Defence Ministry to send in the Navy to assist with pursuing them.
Fisheries spokesperson, Bomikazi Molapo, says the seized trawler will be arriving at the Cape Town Harbour this morning.
"We have the Western Cape Joint Operations Command Centre that will be running the operation of inspecting the vessel upon arrival, she said.
"We are just really concerned with escorting it to the port where a full investigation can be done," Molapo said.
(Photo: Gallo Images)