The Mahajanga court has delivered its verdict, convicting fourteen Sri Lankan nationals for their involvement in illegal fishing activities. Each of them is facing significant fines as a result of their actions.
Heavy fines, prison time…
Each accused is ordered to pay a fine of one billion and fifty million ariary (more than 220,000 euros), while nine hundred million ariary (more than 188,000 euros) are imposed for each dolphin caught, reports L’ Express from Madagascar. In addition, they received two months in prison. Their vessels, ‘Ruth Baby’ and ‘Ruth Baby 3’, flying the Sri Lankan flag, were confiscated and handed over to the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy (MPEB). The boats were intercepted during the Indian Ocean Commission’s 62nd Regional Fisheries Monitoring Mission.
“…now in Madagascar”
What’s more, they have no license to fish in Malagasy waters. The offenders also used unauthorized equipment to capture protected marine mammals, with several dolphins seized on board. “These ships now belong to Madagascar. We now have twenty-five that we can use to combat IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing,” says the MPEB.
