The Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy of Somalia has strongly defended Chinese fishing ships operating in Somalia’s waters, stating that they hold official operating licenses issued by the Somali Federal Government. The ministry emphasized that these ships comply with both Somali regulations and international maritime laws, highlighting the strong bilateral ties between Somalia and China. However, the ministry also stated that it is currently assessing its relationship with China and expects Chinese fishing firms to respect Somalia’s territorial integrity and properly manage its sea. On the other hand, the ministry strongly condemned all illegal incidents in Somalia’s waters, including fishing without a license, ship violations, and the illegal abduction of vessels by criminals. These actions not only undermine Somalia’s territorial integrity but also violate international laws. The ministry welcomed the recent release of a Chinese fishing vessel that was abducted by armed groups and expressed gratitude to the security agencies and individuals involved in the rescue. The ministry also stated that it will review the circumstances surrounding the incident and take necessary measures to strengthen the protection of Somalia’s waters and prevent similar incidents in the future. In addition, the government plans to strengthen supervision in the blue economy areas of the sea by tightening fishing laws, improving the process of license issuance, and increasing cooperation among security agencies to reduce piracy and other crimes. However, this statement coincides with a new report alleging that China is involved in illegal fishing in Somalia’s coasts, which could potentially harm Somalia’s natural resources. The Chinese fishing ships are accused of regularly remaining in Somalia’s waters and engaging in bottom trawling, which can deplete the population of Fin tuna fish.
