The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture recently issued a notice requiring local fisheries administrations to notify fishing boats that they should not enter waters of Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania for fishing operations. They should remain as far away as possible from waters of those countries, as well as from the Gulf of Aden and the waters pertaining to the south of Yemen, in order to avoid any incidents.
The notice requires that if any fishing boat has to pass through the waters in the Gulf of Aden, it should apply to the Distant Water Fisheries Branch of the China Fisheries Association one month in advance, and coordinate with authorities so that the voyage can be carried out under conditions to ensure safety.
Since last year, pirate activities have been rampant near Somali waters, with many fishing boats and their crew members being hijacked by Somali pirates.
In November last year, "Tianyu 8", a Chinese fishing boat of the Tianjin Deepsea Fishing Company, was hijacked by pirates while operating in the waters of the Indian Ocean and it has not been released yet. As warships from various countries build up their patrol and escort efforts in the Gulf of Aden and its surrounding waters, the sphere of pirate activities may expand.
By People's Daily Online
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