Somebody in "Somalia Calls On NATO to Prevent the Illegal Fishing"

All Africa reports "Somalia Calls On NATO to Prevent the Illegal Fishing" which is interesting since there really is only a imaginary construct of "Somalia" in the atlases of the world, while the reality is that the physical territory that was once Somalia is just a series of clan enclaves and would-be states like Puntland. In short, "there is not there there."

Thus, in reading such headlines, one has to decipher which group now seeks to make claim on the assets of other countries to protect the shores and littorals and EEZ that a failed mess of a state cannot protect on its own. Let's look at the article

Somali officials said that NATO must do more to prevent the illegal fishing that sparked the latest pirate hijacking.
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Some Somali fishermen, including ex-pirates, have complained of harassment by illegal foreign trawlers. Officials from Puntland have warned that more hijackings could occur if the problem isn't tackled.

"We requested NATO warships to tackle the illegal fishing, but they replied it was not their mandate," Abdihakim Abdullahi Omar, the vice president of Puntland, told reporters at Bosasso port where the crewmen were released.

"We told them that if they cannot take measures against the illegal fishing vessels who come under their cover and those who pour wastes into our waters, then their presence is a burden rather than a benefit."

So, not a Somali government official, but rather a Puntland official.

And, one has to wonder how NATO ships impose any sort of burden on the Somalis, except those who are engaged in illegal activities, since I don't think there are many liberty ports in the failed state and I know Somalia or Puntland is paying one dime for the NATO forces. I guess just having them out there weighs heavy on the Somali minds.

Then there is this, which echoes what I have long said,

However, Joshua Tallis, a Research Analyst at CNA Corporation, a nonprofit research and analysis organization, told the Sri Lanka Guardian that fishing has not traditionally been a major part of Somali culture or economics, nor were most pirates former fishermen. "That does not excuse the devastation of toxic dumping and IUU fishing, only its ability to causally explain piracy," he said.

Puntland Marine Police

I would suggest that if Mr. Omar is serious, that Puntland put some real effort into forming a coast guard (see also here) and getting it out to enforce Somali interests. Otherwise, bad things undoubtedly will continue to happen to his failed state.

They're Back! Somali Pirates Grab Ship, Make Demands

I think we've seen this failed state/"everybody is robbing us" movie before. VOA report Seized Oil Tanker with 8 Crew Anchored Off Somalia Coast

VOA photo

The hijackers who seized an oil tanker and its eight-man crew off Somalia are demanding “compensation” for a rise in illegal fishing in Somali waters.

VOA’s Somali service spoke by phone to one of the hijackers Tuesday, a day after men boarded and seized the ship about 30 kilometers off the Somali coast, then anchored off Alula, a town in Somalia’s Puntland region.

The hijacker said seven men took part in the raid. He asserted that he and his colleagues are fishermen, not pirates.

“We have decided, as local fishermen, to resist illegal fishing. We have taken arms to defend ourselves, and we will continue,” said the man, who declined to give his name and did not suggest any dollar figures.

Asked about the crew, he said: “It’s not our principle to kill them. They are healthy. We looked after them. We are after the people who sent them, to make sure they never return.”

Because we all know oil tankers are engaged in illegal fishing.

Sea Piracy of Various Forms and the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 12 July - 10 August 2016

Classic piracy as reported by the Maritime Herald Product tanker Ad Matsu attacked by pirates in South China Sea

The asphalt and bitumen product tanker Ad Matsu was attacked by pirates in South China Sea on 15 nautical miles north off Tanjung Berakit, Indonesia. The vessel was en route from Singapore to Hai Phong, Vietnam, but near the island Pulau Bintan was reached by fast boat from the starboard. Six armed men succeeded to board

Box is general area of attack

the vessel and took control of the tanker. The crew was locked in the mess room, while pirates robbed the vessel and stole all the cash and valuables of the seamen. After robbery the pirates abandoned the vessel and fled away to Malaysia. There were no injured seamen from the product tanker Ad Matsu during the piracy attack. The crew reported about the accident and vessel returned in operations.

The Indonesian Navy found and arrested one of the pirates in large scale anti-piracy operation. The young man was arrested and will be investigated and judged for piracy according to the Indonesian laws.

Fishing "piracy" off Somalia seems to be back as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in As piracy is contained, Somali fishermen again compete with illegal vessels in their waters:

When the horn of Africa's infamous pirate gangs first emerged two decades ago, they were Somali fishermen arming themselves to fight off illegal fishing boats from other parts of the world.

International patrol vessels now guard Somalia's coastline making the waters relatively safe. The pirates are gone but that's created the opportunity for illegal fishing activity by Asian and European interests. Once again these high seas trawlers are competing with the locals and there are fears tensions could again escalate.

Not so sure the "pirate gangs" were all that innocent in the old days . . . on the other hand some Somali warlords were licensing fishing boats to operate in Somali waters to the detriment of Somali fishermen. See The Two Piracies in Somalia: Why the World Ignores the Other? by Mohamed Abshir Waldo:

In arrangements with Somali warlords, new companies were formed abroad for bogus fishing licensing purposes. Jointly owned mafia Somali-European companies set up in Europe and Arabia worked closely with Somali warlords who issued them fake fishing “licenses” to any foreign fishing pirate willing to plunder the Somali marine resources. UK and Italy based African and Middle East Trading Co. (AFMET), PALMERA and UAE based SAMICO companies were some of the corrupt vehicles issuing such counterfeit licenses as well as fronting for the warlords who shared the loot.

Among technical advisors to the Mafia companies – AFMET, PALMIRA & SAMICO - were supposedly reputable firms like MacAllister Elliot & Partners of the UK. Warlords Gen. Mohamed Farah Aidiid, Gen. Mohamed Hersi Morgan, Osman Atto and Ex-President Ali Mahdi Mohamed officially and in writing gave authority to AFMET to issue fishing “licenses”, which local fishermen and marine experts call it simply a “deal between thieves”. According to Africa Analysis of November 13, 1998, AFMET alone “licensed” 43 seiners (mostly Spanish, at $30,000 per 4-month season. Spanish Pesca Nova was “licensed” by AFMET while French Cobracaf group got theirs from SAMICO at a much discounted rate of $15,000 per season per vessel.

Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 12 July - 10 August 2016 by lawofsea on Scribd

The Lovely Irony of ("former") Somali Pirates, Protection Rackets and Other Scams

Anyone who has followed any aspect of the rise of the Somali pirates knows that they have long used the excuse (see here (2006) and here (2005)) that they were acting as some sort of Coast Guard to protect the fisheries of Somali waters from incursions by illegal, outside fishing boats.

Those with a little more knowledge will know that outside fishing interests used to pay fees to "leaders" in Somalia to gain "licenses" to allow their fishing boats to go unmolested in Somali waters. You will also recall that the Somali "coast guards" began to attack ships having nothing to do with fishing and which traversed waters far from any possible Somali claim. In short, the pirate life in Somalia has always been based on a foundation of misrepresentation. As noted by UN report linked below,

For the past decade, the Monitoring Group has reported extensively on Somali piracy. It has mapped how piracy grew out of a kind of protection racket in response to illegal fishing and toxic waste dumping, and evolved into a money-driven, clan-based, transnational organized crime, constituting a threat to global shipping.

So, given that, should the recent UN report revealing that "former" Somali pirates are hiring themselves out to protect fishing vessels illegally fishing in Somali waters be much of surprise?

How about the fact that some of these pirates are being funded by a group of Arabian Gulf money men? See Muscat Daily's report GCC businessmen supporting illegal fishing in Somalia:

A UN report released last week has revealed fears that businessmen in the Gulf region may be actively supporting illegal fishing in Somali waters, often using former pirates as armed guards for the fishing vessels.
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‘Puntland officials estimate tens of thousands of tonnes of illegal catch has been fished from Puntland’s coastline between 2012 and 2013 by hundreds of illegal fishing vessels. The vessels are mainly Iranian and Yemeni-owned and all use Somali armed security. The Monitoring Group inspected four forged fishing licences registered between May and October 2012 that have been confiscated from unlicenced Iranian vessels by international naval forces,’ stated the report. ‘Local fishermen from different communities along the Puntland coast between Las Qoray and Hafun have confirmed that the private security teams on board such vessels are normally provided from pools of demobilised Somali pirates and coordinated by a ring of pirate leaders and associated businessmen operating in Puntland, Somaliland, the UAE, Oman, Yemen and Iran.’

You may recall an earlier post about the successes of Somalis protecting illegal fishing from May 2013, Somalia: Sometimes you have to laugh - "Puntland seizes 5 illegal fishing boats, 78 Iranians arrested".

Somalia: Sometimes you have to laugh - "Puntland seizes 5 illegal fishing boats, 78 Iranians arrested"

Area involved is circled

Probably not funny for the Iranians but Garowe Online reports - Puntland seizes 5 illegal fishing boats, 78 Iranians arrested:

Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) apprehended 5 illegal fishing boats and 78 fishermen off the coast of Bossaso on Tuesday, Garowe Online reports.

PMPF Coordinator, Admiral Abdirizak Diriye Farah, who spoke to press on Wednesday, stated that 5 illegal fishing boats and 78 Iranian nationals illegally fishing off the coast of Qow 20km from Bossaso were apprehended by the Puntland coastal forces. “The fishermen we arrested were 78 in total all Iranians, along with 12 Somalis who were protecting the illegal fishing boats,” said Admiral Farah on Wednesday.

Hmm. PMPF.

Iranians.

And 12 Somalis "protecting the illegal fishing boats."

Not very well, I gather.

Somali Pirates: Release of Taiwanese Fishing Vessel and 3 Dead Crew

Ah, the pirates of Somalia - innocently protecting their fishing grounds from a vessel they captured in the EEZ waters of the Seychelles (see also here).Note that this first report appears to be wrong in that 3 crew of the vessel are now reported to be dead

M/V WIN FAR 161 that has been anchored off the Somali coast in the vicinity of Harardheere for almost 10 months has finally been released. The pirates vacated the vessel on the evening of 11 Feb and the master has taken command once more.

The Taiwanese fishing vessel WIN FAR 161 was hijacked on 6th April 2009 from the Somali Basin, approximately 160Nm north of the Seychelles. The vessel had been operating outside the EU NAVFOR Area of Operation (AOR) and as such its movements were not registered with the MSCHOA. It is understood from the owner that all 28 crew members are well and were released with food, fuel and water. The ship is now heading out to sea and is being monitored by EU NAVFOR.

A later here:

Ecoterra, a Kenya-based agency that monitors shipping in Somali waters, said three of the boat's original crew of 30 had died during their captivity.

"The three died of malnutrition, disease and neglect over the course of the last month," Ecoterra said.

UPDATE: Taiwan sources assert all 30 crew members alive. See here

Somalia Pirates: A Defense?

Found as The Somali Pirates have the right to Hijack Foreign vessels:

The highest ranking officer in the Somali naval force Admiral Farah Omar Qare, has said in a press conference on Sunday that the foreign war ships stationed over the Somali waters are pretending to be watching over the Pirates who are intending to Hijack the foreign Vessels, but are in mass collecting the Somali sea resources.

“We have been closely following what actually is the so called NATO troops are doing over the Somali waters, and the result we have got out of our assessment is that they are collecting the Somali sea resource in mass, and not scaring off the Pirates, in the first place we clearly know what has forced the Somali pirates to involving themselves in hijacking of foreign vessels while they were ordinary fishermen is because there were armed foreign troops, who used to chase them off cut their fishing nets into pieces, and eventually the fisherman came together and discussed hard about the issue and armed themselves, and after having seen that this is more benefiting than what they have been doing they have left out their nets and fishing boats on the shore and instead came into the sea with Russian made Kalashnikov Assault rifle, and rocket propel grenade, in which they have hijacked more than 100 ships since mission started” said the Admiral Farah Omar Qare the Somali naval commander in a press conference.

The Admiral has urged the international community not to complain about the activities of the Pirates, but should also focus about what the forging vessels are doing in the Somali waters.

We've heard this justification before, see here, here (and here, here). Would it be okay to protect the 200 mile EEZ? Sure and some consideration should be given to helping the Somalis set up a fisheries patrol and a means to protect their waters from illegal dumping.

Attacking ships 300 and more miles at sea? Piracy.

Somali Pirates: "I'm the saviour of the sea' - Times Online

Nice article in the London Times 'I'm not a pirate, I'm the saviour of the sea'. The pirate king the reporter met with has gotten rich off catching ships and crews. There is always the background noise over the damage done to Somali fishing ground by foreign, environmentally unsound fishing boats:

Fourteen years ago, he was still working as a lobster diver in Eyl - “one of the best”, he says. Since then, according to Boyah, these reefs off Eyl have been devastated by foreign fishing fleets - mostly Chinese, Taiwanese and Korean - using steel-pronged dragnets. He says that there are no longer lobsters to be found locally, a claim partially corroborated by a 2005 UN Development Project report into the depletion of local stocks.

From 1995 to 1997, Boyah and others captured three foreign fishing vessels, keeping the catch and ransoming the crew. He boasts that he received an $800,000 bounty for one ship. When the foreign fishing fleets entered into protection contracts with local warlords, making armed guards and anti-aircraft guns fixtures on ships, Boyah and his men went after commercial shipping vessels instead.
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When it comes to targets, Boyah's standards are not very exacting. He says that his men go after any ship that wanders into their sights. He separates his prey into “commercial” and “tourist” ships. The commercial ships, identifiable by the cranes on their decks, are slower and easier to capture. Boyah has gone after too many of these to remember. He claims to employ different tactics for different ships, but the basic strategy is that several skiffs will approach from all sides, swarming like a waterborne wolfpack. If brandishing their weapons fails to frighten the ship's crew into stopping, they fire into the air. If that doesn't do it, and if the target ship is incapable of outperforming the 85 to 150 horsepower engines on their skiffs, they pull alongside their target, toss hooked rope ladders on to the decks and board the ship. Resistance is rare.

Boyah guesses that 20 to 30 per cent of attempted hijackings succeed. Speedy prey, technical problems, and foreign naval or domestic coastguard intervention account for the high rate of failure.

Captured ships are steered to Eyl, where guards and interpreters are brought to look after the hostages during the ransom negotiation. Once secured, the money - often routed through banks in London and Dubai and parachuted directly on to the deck of the ship - is split: half goes to the hijackers, a third to the investors who fronted cash for the ships and weapons, and 20 per cent to everyone else, from the guards to the translators (occasionally high school students on a summer break).
***
If there is a solution to the problem, it lies in economic principles: the cost-benefit analysis for these men must be shifted from piracy to more legitimate pursuits. Naval battle fleets can do their part to boost the “cost” side, but without the “benefit” of meaningful occupations on land, there will be no permanent resolution.

Read the whole thing.

Somali Pirates: Why do we do it? Because it's better than our other options

Why are there Somali pirates? For the same reason there are bank robbers and drug dealers. It's relatively easy money and some people only have poor career options, or anyway, that's how I read this somewhat sympathetic report:

A group of our villagers, mainly fishermen I knew, were arming themselves.

One of them told me that they wanted to hijack ships, which he said were looting our sea resources.

He told me it was a national service with a lot of money in the end. Then I took my gun and joined them.

Who knew that World Food Program ships were looting Somali sea resources. Or oil tankers. Or cargo ships. Or yachts. Or tug boats. Or wood carriers. Or ...

I have said many times that Somali fishing waters ought to be protected. Attacking ship that have nothing to do with fishing or pollution 300 miles at sea is not protecting Somali waters and points out what a flimsy excuse this innocent "coast guard" lie is.

Gulf of Aden: German navy captures nine pirates in Somalia pirate attack

Sudanese and Somali pirates captured in the Gulf of Aden, as reported here:

The German navy detained nine people Tuesday following a dramatic action to head off a pirate attack on a German merchant vessel off the coast of Somalia. A tricky deliberation process has started in Germany, which has to decide how to legally proceed with the pirates.

This is the first time in the history of modern Germany's navy that anyone has been apprehended at sea.

According to German Defence Ministry in Berlin, a vessel owned by a Bremen-based shipping company, the MV Courier, was attacked by pirates during early morning Tuesday.

The ministry said that the pirates were armed with anti-tank rocket launchers and firearms.

US Navy helicopters thwarted the attack with soldiers of the German frigate Rheinland-Pfalz a short time later, seizing the pirate's boat and arresting nine people, the Defence Ministry said.

Some of the pirates were from Sudan, the ministry said.

Photo of ship believed to the Courier from Shipspotting.com, Jens Smit

Somali Pirates: Ship owners seek blockade

To counter the increasing problem of Somali pirates, some ship owners are proposing that a blockade be established off the Somali coast, as set out here:

A group of tanker owners has proposed a naval blockade off the coast of Somalia as a way of stopping pirate attacks.

Peter Swift, head of the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko), said the UN could co-ordinate naval patrols in the area.

He acknowledged that a blockade would not be easy.
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Mr Swift said many tanker owners are considering a detour around South Africa to avoid pirates, and that this would raise costs by 30%.

He said continuing attacks would have a major impact on world trade, but that Intertanko opposed arming merchant ships to defend against pirates.
Map

"The other option is perhaps putting a blockade around Somalia and introducing the idea of intercepting vessels leaving Somalia rather than to try to protect the whole of the Gulf of Aden," he said.

A blockade along Somalia's coastline "is not easy but some intervention there may be effective," he said.

A "ring of steel" to seal off known pirate ports might viable if there are enough ships to do the job and the governments providing those ships don't mind paying for an extended commitment off Somalia.

Without an invasion of Somalia to quell the pirates, there are not many good options to contain the pirates other than escorting ships and patrolling known danger areas.

While they are there, perhaps a blockading force could help the Somalis with the alleged problems they face with illegal fishing and dumping by foreign ships.

Somali Pirates: Chinese Fishing Boat Nabbed

Pirates seize fishing boat, 24 crew off Somalia, China says:

Pirates off the coast of Somalia have seized a Chinese fishing boat and 24 crew including Vietnamese, Philippine and Japanese citizens, Chinese state media reported on Friday. The Chinese vessel was held off the coast of the southern Somali port of Kismanyu late Thursday, the government's official Xinhua news agency reported from Mogadishu, the Somali capital.

The agency quoted an unidentified pirate leader as saying on the local Shabelle radio station in Mogadishu that the 24 crew were all "fine."

The pirate leader claimed that he seized the vessel 30 miles (48.2 kilometres) off Kismanyu because it was fishing in Somali territorial waters and said the crew would be "put before the law and punished accordingly."

But the agency quoted a source with the Chinese Ministry of Transport as saying the ship, the Tianyu No 8, was fishing off the Kenyan coast when it was seized.

The pirates had forced the crew to sail towards the coast of southern Somalia, the Chinese source said.

The ship is owned by the Tianjin Ocean Fishing Company and carried a crew of 15 Chinese, four Vietnamese, three Philippine, one Japanese and one Taiwanese.

Some Somali pirates have long claimed to be acting as a de facto coast guard to protect Somali fishing grounds, as noted in previous posts...see here and here and links therein.

China is invited to send ships to protect their fishing fleet. . .in international waters . . .
Map is my crude attempt at drawing Somali 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone waters based on UNCLOS:

Article56

Rights, jurisdiction and duties of the coastal State in the exclusive economic zone

1. In the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State has:

(a) sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds;

(b) jurisdiction as provided for in the relevant provisions of this Convention with regard to:

(i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures;

(ii) marine scientific research;

(iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment;

(c) other rights and duties provided for in this Convention.

2. In exercising its rights and performing its duties under this Convention in the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State shall have due regard to the rights and duties of other States and shall act in a manner compatible with the provisions of this Convention.

3. The rights set out in this article with respect to the seabed and subsoil shall be exercised in accordance with Part VI.

Article57

Breadth of the exclusive economic zone

The exclusive economic zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.

Article58

Rights and duties of other States in the exclusive economic zone

1. In the exclusive economic zone, all States, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy, subject to the relevant provisions of this Convention, the freedoms referred to in article 87 of navigation and overflight and of the laying of submarine cables and pipelines, and other internationally lawful uses of the sea related to these freedoms, such as those associated with the operation of ships, aircraft and submarine cables and pipelines, and compatible with the other provisions of this Convention.

2. Articles 88 to 115 and other pertinent rules of international law apply to the exclusive economic zone in so far as they are not incompatible with this Part.

3. In exercising their rights and performing their duties under this Convention in the exclusive economic zone, States shall have due regard to the rights and duties of the coastal State and shall comply with the laws and regulations adopted by the coastal State in accordance with the provisions of this Convention and other rules of international law in so far as they are not incompatible with this Part.

On the other hand, most of the outrageous claims of Somali pirates that they are "not really pirates," such as those made here, need to be taken as the load of rubbish they are, especially when the assertion is followed by a threat to go into foreign waters to protect your pirate lifesytle:

While admitting that the influx of foreign navies is making his life more dangerous, he remains defiant: "We will keep carrying out attacks. We are ready for long distance attacks as far as the coast of Yemen."

Exactly whose coast is that in protection of?

Somalia: Pirates add Iranian, Japanese tankers to their swag

Somali pirates are on a tear in the Gulf of Aden, adding a couple of more tankers to their growing captured inventory, as set out here:

An Iranian and a Japanese tanker have been reportedly hijacked by pirates off Somalia's coast while sailing through the Gulf of Aden.

The two tankers were hijacked Thursday morning between 10 am (0200GMT) and 11am (0300GMT) in the Gulf of Aden bringing to six the number of ships seized in the region in the past month, AFP quoted a maritime watchdog as saying.

"The Iranian and Japanese ships have been attacked by pirates off the Somali coast and have been successfully hijacked by the pirates," Noel Choong, head of the Kuala Lumpur-based International Maritime Bureau's (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre said.

"We have notified the US-led coalition naval forces but we are unable to release the names of the vessels or give further details of the vessels as it's still an ongoing operation," he said.

"We call on the United Nations to take urgent steps to stop this menace as they are the only ones who can do it."

UPDATE: SOmali pirates have added a German cargo ship to their bag, as set out here:

Later in the day, a German-operated cargo ship, flying the Antigua and Barbuda flag, was hijacked in the vicinity, he said. No details about the crew were available.
He said the piracy center in Kuala Lumpur received a distress call about the German hijacking from a passing ship.

Somalia: Except for the al Qaeda connection and the pirates - no one much cares

How to win friends and influence people: Somalia Islamist warns U.N.,

The man who claims to be Somalia's new opposition leader promised Friday to pacify his shattered country through Islamic law, warning U.N. peacekeepers they will face attack if they deploy and support the government.

Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, whose Islamic regime was ousted from power in 2006 with tacit support from the United States, is gaining influence again as a deadly insurgency ruptures Somalia. Thousands have been killed in the fighting since 2007.
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"Fighting U.N. peacekeepers depends on how they behave in Somalia," Aweys told The Associated Press in an interview that touched on subjects ranging from accusations of terrorism — which he denied — to his four wives and 22 children.

The U.N. Security Council has said it would consider deploying peacekeepers to replace African Union troops if political reconciliation and security improve
***
An Iraq-style Islamic insurgency, which Aweys promised after he was driven from power with the help of Ethiopian troops, has contributed to a humanitarian emergency, with millions of Somalis dependent on aid. The United States fears Somalia could become a haven for al-Qaida.
***
Kenya, and Tanzania just to its south, have already been victims of al-Qaida terrorism. The U.S. embassies in those countries were bombed in 1998, and militants attacked a hotel and an Israeli airliner in Kenya in 2002.

The attacks emanated from Somalia.

Somalia has been without a functioning government since 1991, when clan warlords ousted longtime dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned on each other. The current government was formed in 2004 with the help of the United Nations but has failed to protect citizens from violence or the country's breathtaking poverty.

In recent years, the United States backed a secret program to pay Mogadishu's widely detested warlords to help track down those in Somalia with links to terrorism. But the policy backfired when the Islamists united under Aweys and ousted the warlords from the capital.

The same UN which is threatened by Aweys has a at least one voice shouting in the wilderness about protecting Somalia's offshore economic rights - which are now frequently violated by fishing vessels from around the world, but specifically include North Korea, China and Taiwan:

The UN special envoy for Somalia on Friday sounded the alarm about rampant illegal fishing and the dumping of toxic waste off the coast of the lawless African nation.

"Because there is no (effective) government, there is so much irregular fishing from European and Asian countries," Ahmedou Ould Abdallah told reporters.

He said he had asked several international non-governmental organizations, including Global Witness, which works to break the links between natural resource exploitation, conflict, corruption, and human rights abuses worldwide, "to trace this illegal fishing, illegal dumping of waste."

"It is a disaster off the Somali coast, a disaster (for) the Somali environment, the Somali population," he added.

Ould Abdallah said the phenomenon helps fuel the endless civil war in Somalia as the illegal fishermen are paying corrupt Somali ministers or warlords for protection or to secure fake licenses.
***
Foreign trawlers reportedly use prohibited fishing equipment, including nets with very small mesh sizes and sophisticated underwater lighting systems, to lure fish to their traps.

"I am convinced there is dumping of solid waste, chemicals and probably nuclear (waste).... There is no government (control) and there are few people with high moral ground," Ould Abdallah added.

Allegations of waste dumping off Somalia by European companies have been heard for years, according to Somalia watchers. The problem was highlighted in the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami when broken hazardous waste containers washed up on Somali shores.
***
Some Somali pirates have reportedly claimed to be acting as "coastguards" protecting their waters from illegal fishing and dumping of toxic waste.

Ould Abdallah cited the case of a Spanish trawler captured by pirates while illegally fishing for tuna off Somalia in April.

Once again, "coast guarding" is one thing, capturing ships that have nothing to do with either fishing or dumping is another thing all together.

However, since the only way to "save Somalia" is probably completely take it over, except for the potential al Qaeda link, no rational country wants anything to do with the place.

International aid worker moving out:

By December this year, aid agencies estimate that the number of displaced and hungry people in need of life-saving aid in Somalia will swell to 3.5 million-nearly half the country's population. Yet, as drought and conflict conspire to worsen the crisis, the humanitarian space to deliver food and other essential assistance in this conflict zone has all but vanished.

"At sea, ships carrying aid face the threat of piracy, on land (aid workers face) armed robbery and kidnapping," says Abdullahi Musse, a Somali worker for an international humanitarian organisation. "Then, in the process of reaching our warehouses as well as on their way to the beneficiaries, the trucks cannot move without security escorts and have to pass through countless checkpoints which cannot be crossed without paying a 'fee' to a variety of armed groups.

"It is a high-risk activity with minimal guarantees of security," says Musse.
***
All international aid workers and UN staff have been forced out by continuous fighting between Islamic insurgent groups and forces of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) backed by Ethiopian troops. Both sides accuse each other of attacks on aid workers and vow to protect them. Added to this are professional kidnapping rings, which have been encouraged by the large ransoms paid by foreigners to release ships taken by pirates.

The UN agencies and nine international organisations still maintain a presence in Mogadishu, but they rely exclusively on local staff. Musse told IPS over the phone from Mogadishu that Somali workers, too, are now being targeted and aid delivery has completely stalled.
***
Unfortunately, this sense of urgency in the humanitarian sector is not matched by developments on the political front. With the help of Ethiopian forces, the TFG controls a few towns in south-central region while an assortment of Islamic groups remain in ascendancy in most of the territory. (The Puntland and Somaliland regions in north and north-western Somalia claim autonomous status.)

The UN-brokered peace agreement in Djibouti between the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and leaders of the Union of Islamic Court has split the UIC. Radical Islamic factions reject the deal and increased attacks in south-central regions.

The Islamic courts are now divided into two main groups: the Djibouti group headed by Sheikh Sharif and signatory to the peace deal with TFG, and the Asmara group based in Eritrea and led by Hasan Dahir Aweys, an Afghan war veteran who is now wanted by the United States on terrorism charges for his alleged links with al-Qaeda.

"It is difficult to say how much control these two have over Al-Shabab, a group which is also on the U.S. terror list, and other insurgent groups of 'mujaheddin' (holy warriors) that have waged a war to throw out the Ethiopian forces from Somalia," says Bashir Awale, a radio journalist based in Mogadishu. Bashir says many previously unknown groups with Islamic names have recently issued threats against humanitarian workers. "But the TFG forces are equally culpable of deterring aid," says Bashir who points to the fact that there are four TFG checkpoints within a few kilometres drive to from Mogadishu to Afgoye and dozens more within the city.

Given the volatile and complex nature of the conflict, the UN special representative is seeking an international peacekeeping force to stabilise the country and provide cover to humanitarian operations. Ould-Abdalla believes that in "the current favourable political context following the Djibouti Agreement, it is time for the Security Council to take bold, decisive and fast action."

However, when asked if the United States would lead a coalition of countries into Somalia to implement the peace deal, US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad said: "Well, you know that we are quite busy as you know, number one. Number two, that there are always issues with the U.S. leading a coalition "

Blaming al-Qaeda related groups for the attacks on humanitarian workers, Khalilzad did not agree to prompt Security Council action. He said no plan for a peacekeeping force will be discussed before August 15, when the Security Council Secretariat is expected to present a future plan for Somalia. A peacekeeping force with a strong mandate could take months.

An update on the Somali pirates

Meanwhile, Somali pirates have shifted their operations to the far north, on the Gulf of Aden (which separates Somalia from Yemen, in southern Arabia). Over 80 percent of the pirate attacks are now taking place in the Gulf of Aden, where heavy Red Sea traffic provides a larger number of potential victims.
***
For the last three years, an international naval patrol, CTF 150 (Combined Task Force 150, operating out of Djibouti) has patrolled the 3,000 kilometer long coast. But with only about fifteen ships (from half a dozen nations), the CTF 150 has been able to slow down the pirates, but not stop them.

Moreover, unless this coastal patrol force was willing to send troops ashore to kill or arrest the pirates in the land bases, the pirates will keep playing hide-and-seek with the naval patrols, and continue to attack ships and get away with it.

Somalia: French Company to Take on Pirates and more

Reported here:

A private French military firm has signed a contract with Somali authorities to boost security off the country's coast, plagued by high-profile piracy in recent years, the chief executive said Saturday.

Pierre Marziali, CEO of the firm Secopex, said the deal would "strengthen maritime business" off Somalia.

The deal, estimated to be worth between 50 million to 100 million euros (75-150 million dollars) annually for the next three years, comes in the wake of the hostage-taking by Somali pirates of a French luxury yacht, the Ponant, in April.
***
According to Marziali, the contract amount will depend on an audit of existing facilities in Somalia, and will be to set up a "unified coastguard, creating a comprehensive coastguard information system" and form a special bodyguard for Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed.

"These measures mean we can offer a concrete response to any armed attack," he said, adding that any pirate attack would be met with "a return of fire."

"The economic facet of this contract is also important for Somalia, victim not just of pirates but also the victim of huge pillaging of its natural fish stocks off its coastline," the Secopex boss added.

Somali Pirates: "Sugar Ship" Was "Carrying Arms"

The Somali pirates who have captured the M/V Victoria now claim it was an arms transport as reported here:

Somalia pirates who hijacked a Jordanian vessel last weekend now claim that it is carrying arms to Somalia and must be opened to verify its cargo.
***
"The latest allegations by the hijackers will force the owner of the vessel to open it to verify its cargo," said Mr Mwangura, noting that it is not possible to open the ship at this time because of the prevailing weather conditions.

"The sea is rough at the moment and we may have to wait until August when the sea calms down for the cargo to be verified... the situation at the moment is complicated and we are asking the international community to help in resolving the crisis," Mr Mwangura said.

He urged the Kenyan Government to stop transacting businesses with Somalia as a strategy to reduce piracy.

"The Kenyan Government should stop illegal fishing in Somalia and the transportation of miraa in order to reduce piracy.

As I have noted many times, some Somali pirates claim to be a quasi coast guard, protecting Somalia's territorial and EEZ rights.

Update: Fixed the gremlin-induced title typo.

Somalia: Puntland challenges U.S. Navy to do something or go away

Interesting challenge here:

A Cabinet minister in Somalia's Puntland State government has called on the United States government to withdraw its naval forces from Somali shores or help in the campaign against local pirates.

Said Ahmed O'Nur, Puntland's Fisheries and Ports Minister, told Voice of America' s Somali-language program that U.S. Navy warships have been watching a hijacked ship for nearly two months without taking any military action against the pirates on board.

He indicated that there is "no communication" between the U.S. Navy and the government of Puntland.

According to the minister, the U.S. naval warships "allow" the pirates to go to and from the ship - Russian-registered Svitzer Korsakov, which pirates hijacked on Feb. 5.

"Local fishermen are not allowed to take their boats to sea," Minister O'Nur said during the interview.

He stated that locals informed the Puntland government that U.S. sailors disembark from their warships and use small boats to fish, adding: "Who allowed them to fish along our [Somali] coast?"

The Fisheries and Ports Minister called on the U.S. Navy to withdraw its ships from the Puntland coast or "convince the [Puntland] government about what they are doing there."

He also indicated that there are "many rumors" about reports of nuclear waste being dumped along Somalia's shores, which the Puntland government is to investigate.

Ignore the nuclear waste issue, that's just baloney, but consider the sovereignty issues posed by Puntland, which is not a recognized state, but a "breakaway" province of greater Somalia. Who has the power to permit the U.S. to take action in Somali waters?

UPDATE (3/18/08): Looking for suggestions on how to respond to this? First, write a nice note:

Dear Minister Said Ahmed O'Nurm:
Nice to hear from you in your recent interview with the Voice of America. Some of our ships, it is true, are visiting the international waters off the coast of Somalia after having chased some pirates into Somali waters. You might recall that some of our efforts to keep the pirates from being resupplied resulted in some controversy (see here,here,here, here).

In fact, the last we heard, Puntland soldiers were working to cut off supplies to the pirates who still hold the ship. How's that effort going? You forgot to mention it during the VOA interview. Oh, and about that "no communication" thing? Here's number for the U.S. Department of State (1-888-Tal-KLOT). If you want to chat, they have specialists who do just that. They might have a little trouble finding Puntland on the map, because they sorta think you are part of Somalia, so good luck.

Now, as to your fishing boats. They are free to go fishing if they follow some simple rules:

(1) They should assemble in one spot when they are ready to leave port and should proceed in a group to sea;
(2) They should fly a white flag on each boat;
(3) They should not approach the captured vessel;
(4) They should head out to sea and go fishing.

As long as they do those 4 simple things, they will not be bothered. However, there are a couple of things they should not do or we will have to take action:

(1) They should not approach the captured vessel (we will assume they are aiding the pirates if they do);
(2) They should not approach U.S. or Coalition warships;
(3) They should not attempt to capture any ships traveling in International Waters.

Simple rules, really.

By the way, since you are part of the Puntland governing body, we would like to point out that the pirates do have their captured ship and crew in the territorial waters off your coast. Under International Law, this means they are either your problem and its up to you to do something or its the problem of the Somalia government. We'll be happy to assist with planning if you all can figure out who is in charge. You can find us on one of the big gray ships off the coast near the captured ship.

As an additional thought, you might want to start thinking about blaming the pirates for all the trouble they have started, because, believe me, we would not be bobbing around out here if they hadn't grabbed that ship. And all those other ships...

Best regards,
Your friends in the United State Navy

Of course, after the nice letter, you make sure that the hostages are safe and at the first sign of trouble, you kick...

UPDATE2: Tug has reportedly been released. See here.

Somalia: Potshots at Pirates

Reported here:

The U.S. Navy has fired on Somali pirates who hijacked the Russian crew and British captain of a ship sailing off the Horn of Africa, a maritime official said on Tuesday.

Four Russian crew members, an Irish chief engineer and a British captain were aboard the Svitzer Korsakov, an ice-class tug vessel, when it was seized early in February as it was making its way to Russia's Pacific Coast.

"A U.S. warship fired at one of the boats. We don't know if there are any casualties," said Andrew Mwangura, director of the Seafarers Assistance Programme.

The U.S. Navy declined to comment on reports that shots were fired.

"We have ships in the area monitoring the captured vessel, the Svitzer Korsakov," Navy spokeswoman Denise Garcia said.

"We have a full range of options available to deal with piracy and we will utilise them as the situation dictates," she said late on Monday.

Garcia said the navy was trying to stop the pirates from re-supplying.

Mwangura says the gunmen claim to be "eco-warriors" and not pirates.

Initial report of capture here. Galrahn has more.

Somalia: "We are Not Pirates"

Reported asWe are Not Pirates, Say Ship Hijackers. Despite the fact that they have seized a tug meant for operations off the Russian coast (see here), Somalia pirates attempt to wrap themselves in the "environmentalist" robe:

The spokesman of a group of gunmen who hijacked two ships off of Somalia's northeastern coast has said that they are not pirates.

The man, who did not identify himself, contacted Radio Garowe, a station based in the regional capital of the semiautonomous state of Puntland.

"I have contacted you after hearing reports through international media that pirates hijacked a ship after it left the port of Bossaso," the man told Radio Garowe.

He claimed that the Russia-registered ship, Svitzer Korsakov, is "part of the environmental destruction" being committed by various foreign ships off of Somali shores.

"We are the gentlemen who work in the ocean...since the [Somali] civil war began the ocean has been our Mother," the man said.

Some reports said a second foreign ship has been seized off the Somali coast and is also being kept near the natural port of Eyl. Both ships are controlled "by the same group," according to the spokesman.

He said their group's name is the Ocean Salvation Corps, and they are a group of Somali nationalists who took it upon themselves "o protect the country's shores."

"The ships we now control have the equipment which destroyed the Indian Ocean," the man said, adding: "More than 70,000 tons of fish species is on abroad."
***
Asked whether or not the group would ask for ransom, the man said: "It has been the tradition to take ransom payment, but we will bring these ships in front of the law."

A spokesman for the Puntland administration said security forces have been dispatched to Eyl to oversee release efforts.

Previous posts on protection of the Somali fishing grounds here, here and here (request for U.S. aid to protect Somali fishing grounds).

As I have stated before, attacking and capturing merchant ships, tugs and cruise ships tends to negate the assertion of "environmentalism." Nice try, though.

Protecting Somalia's Fishing Grounds

Protecting merchant shipping and World Food Program shipping from Somali pirates is a good thing, but protecting the rich Somali fishing grounds from exploitation by other international fishing fleets also ought to be a priority of the UN until Somalia has a government capable of looking after its own interests. I have noted the problem facing the Somali fishermen before. See here and at the links therein.

The Somalis have asked for U.S. help before (see here) and there are some arguments that the pirates have been capturing fishing vessels poaching in Somali waters:

In recent months, fishing trawlers from Taiwan, China, Ukraine and other countries have been captured by Somali pirates, and released when ransoms have been paid. Since there is no government, it might be understandable if the Somalis are attempting, in the only way they have, to keep their waters free of foreign fishing craft. The argument is diluted, however, by the capture of non-fishing vessels and attacks on merchant shipping passing through the area (or up to 160 miles offshore).

UN reference for "exclusive economic zones" here:

1. In the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State has:

(a) sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds;

(b) jurisdiction as provided for in the relevant provisions of this Convention with regard to:

(i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures;

(ii) marine scientific research;

(iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment;

(c) other rights and duties provided for in this Convention.

2. In exercising its rights and performing its duties under this Convention in the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State shall have due regard to the rights and duties of other States and shall act in a manner compatible with the provisions of this Convention.

3. The rights set out in this article with respect to the seabed and subsoil shall be exercised in accordance with Part VI.


Article57

Breadth of the exclusive economic zone

The exclusive economic zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.

Pending the development of a unified national government in Somalia, the UN probably ought to undertake a declaration of the Somali EEZ as some sort of "UN protectorate" and sanction the patrolling of those waters for the benefit of the Somali people. This also has the benefit of taking out the only possible legitimate reason the Somali pirates have for capturing ships off Somalia...