The Namibian Navy has intercepted and apprehended a foreign-flagged fishing vessel, FU YUAN YU 9878, for alleged illegal fishing activities in Namibia’s territorial waters.
In a media statement issued by the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs on Tuesday, the vessel was intercepted on Sunday at about 10h40 by the Namibian Navy flagship, NS Elephant, during a routine patrol near the northern maritime border with Angola.
The ministry said the vessel was catching fish without a valid permit and was found with a full net of catch onboard.
During a subsequent boarding and inspection, fisheries inspectors confirmed that the vessel did not possess a valid harvesting permit or quota allocation.
The ministry stated that the investigations revealed that the vessel’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) had been intentionally deactivated.
The vessel’s crew consists of 22 male crew members, including four Chinese nationals and 18 Angolans.
The ministry said the suspects are expected to appear before the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court to face multiple charges.
“The Namibian Navy is committed to apprehend all maritime transgressors to the fullest extent of national law,” the statement reads.
