Sri Lankan vessel intercepted on suspicion of illegal fishing |12 June 2018

A Sri Lankan fishing boat intercepted on suspicion of fishing illegally in the Seychelles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) has been handed over to the local authorities and the police.

An investigation into the incident is underway.

All attempts to get more details on the incident from the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) yesterday afternoon was in vain even after the news was aired on SBC’s 12.30pm news.

A brief communiqué issued by the Seychelles Coast Guard later yesterday afternoon stated: “The Sri Lankan flagged vessel was spotted by Seychelles Coast Guard patrol ship Andromache north-west of Mahé Island during a routine patrol on Thursday June 7, 2018. A Coast Guard board team was subsequently sent on board the suspected vessel to conduct an inspection, during which evidence relating to illegal fishing was observed.

“Following consultation with the SFA, the vessel was escorted to Port Victoria for further investigation. The vessel arrived in Port Victoria on Friday June 8, 2018 and has subsequently been handed over to the SFA and the police.”

According to an SBC report there were six Sri Lankans on the vessel including its captain.

The boat left Sri Lanka on April 8 and was intercepted on June 7.

Quoting Sonny Naiken, a law enforcement officer at the SFA, he stated  that according to the captain there were some 20 tonnes of sharks on the vessel when it was caught.

He added that since Saturday they have been unloading the consignment of sharks onboard to be disposed off and so far they have removed some 14 tonnes but there were more to be unloaded. Four species of sharks have been identified namely bull shark, hammer head, tiger shark and black tip shark.

Meanwhile an investigation is underway while the fishing vessel is berthed at the ex-Coast Guard base at Bois de Rose.