Indonesian fishermen stranded in Somalia for eight months

The Chinese fishing company has been accused of partnering with local armed militia Somalia to hold the Indonesian fishermen in an isolated area after failing to pay their fees.

News Keydmedia Online
17 August 2021

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Thirteen Indonesian fishermen are stranded in Somalia for eight months, said Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW) without providing further details about the reason and who is holding them.

The Indonesians are held in an undisclosed location in the Horn of Africa country after their work contract with Chinese fishing companies expired in December 2020.

DFW said the 13 crew members are stranded on an island in Somalia. For the past few months, the Indonesian government was making efforts to evacuate its citizens from the war-torn country.

The Chinese fishing company has been accused of partnering with local armed militia Somalia to hold the Indonesian fishermen in an isolated area after failing to pay their fees.

Somali government which reached a multi-million fishing license deal with a union of fishing companies in China last year is yet to comment on the case.

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing remains one of the greatest threats to the untapped marine resources due to the disorder in Somalia with no regulatory framework to control fishing operations.

A new report published last June by the Global Initiative accused top Somali government officials, including minister of fisheries Abdullahi Bidhan of playing a key role in illegal fishing, making money over issuing illicit licenses for foreign companies.

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