Piracy. Why and how.

This map highlights where the illegal fishing is happening today. No surprises with South America ,Africa and the Far East.

Yesterday I did a post about the Somalian Pirates and why it was dragging on for such a long time. If we take a closer look at what and why it happened maybe lessons can be learned.I doubt it though as these countries are vulnerable and are easy to take advantage of.

Somalia's coastline is the largest in Africa stretching an incredible 3300 kilometers. Somalia is a poor country and even though it has a Navy it hasn't been to sea in over 20 years. Recently last year the coast guard received 6 ships to patrol it's waters. Whether they have the qualified man power and funds to run them is another story though. They have already fallen behind in the payments for them so it will be touch and go whether they keep them.

The reason why piracy started in the region in the first place was that the fishing stocks were over fished leaving the fishermen with no income.Somalia was also known as a good place to drop toxic waste as no one was around to monitor this. A fishermen with a skiff can go out as far as 24 nautical miles and that is his limit. This raises other questions now when we see skiffs 200 nautical miles off the coast in the shipping lanes. They are obviously not fishing for fish but ships themselves.

Last year in December the Somalian Government signed a deal allowing the Chinese to fish their waters. When the stocks are over fished already one beggars belief why they would do this. The Chinese have signed up Madagascan waters as well which are also struggling with stretched fish stocks.

The Chinese need to find another 30 percent for their growing population and have been plundering Africa's coastline for years. Greenpeace monitored 16 illegal factory fishing ships off African waters in one month alone.Mozambique had one licensed boat that is of Mozambican origin to fish for Tuna out of the 130 licenses that have been issued.

If we look at the West coast the same thing is happening there as well with Senegal and Nigeria struggling to maintain their fish stocks. This is unsustainable and the African waters will be fished out in the coming years. What happens then when millions who count on this industry for their income and a cheap source of food for feeding their families. Will more countries look to piracy, i really hope not.

I don't blame the Chinese as they basically own Africa these days being the main trading partner with each country. Governments are not likely to stop them from what they are doing as they are "owned" now. The West African coast is also being fished by the Europeans so what chance do the fish stocks have in the coming years.

I don't know what the answer is but things are looking bleak. I know South Africa enforces controlled fishing,but who knows how much illegal fishing is really happening with their corrupt government around.

Image source somalipiratefisher.weeblycom