Police are probing the health and “inhumane keeping” of dogs on board a Chinese trawler seized by the government last week‚ according to the Department of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries.
The Lu Huang Yuan Yu 186 was one of nine “suspicious” vessels operating off the country’s eastern and southern coasts last week‚ at one point illegally switching off their electronic tracking devices for several hours. It was believed that the ships were illegally fishing for tuna or shark.
When authorities arrested the fleet they originally co-operated. But then suddenly switched off their engines for several hours before‚ in a show of defiance‚ switched them back on simultaneously and scattered. A government tracking vessel stuck with Lu Huang Yuan Yu 186‚ and took it into custody into Cape Town at about 3am on Saturday
The boat was docked and boarded for search operations on Saturday afternoon‚ the Department of Forestry‚ Agriculture and Fisheries (DAFF) said.
DAFF said there were a total of nine crew members on board‚ and that no fish had been discovered‚ but fishing equipment was found.
The crew claimed to have been travelling to the Democratic Republic of Congo where they claimed they were going to fish and that they had the necessary permits to do so.
“Although there was no fish discovered on vessel‚ they have contravened the Marine Living Resources Act (MLRA). The Marine Living Resource Act‚ 18 of 1998 infringements identified during this process is a contravention in terms of Section 13 (1) read with Section 58 (1) (a) (i) and (b) in that; the said fishing vessel entered the South African Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) without the authority of a valid permit.
“The vessel also contravened Section 56 (2) in that master or crew member of the fishing vessel in question‚ did not immediately comply with the lawful instruction as given by a fishery control officer and also did not facilitating the safe boarding‚ entry and inspection of the fishing vessel‚” DAFF stated.
A formal DAFF Seizure Notice in terms Section 51 (3) (c) (ii) of the Act had been drafted in respect of the vessel Lu Huang Yuan Yu 186 and included seizure of its gear‚ equipment‚ stores and cargo.
This vessel would also not be allowed to leave the Port of Cape Town or relocate to any other berthing space within the port‚ unless written authorisation in this regard was provided by the DAFF‚ it added.
“The SAMSA infringements identified which involves all 9 vessels turning off all navigational lights to facilitate their escape and endangering / compromising safety of lives at sea will be taken up with SAMSA during the investigation process. Evidence in this regard will be provided by DAFF.”
The South African Revenue Services had also issued the crew of the seized vessel with an R8‚000 fine for tobacco and cigarette related charges‚ DAFF said.
It added that a case docket in terms of the charges would be completed and presented to the National Prosecuting Authority.
Police investigating ‘inhumane’ keeping of dogs on seized Chinese trawler
Police are probing the health and “inhumane keeping” of dogs on board a Chinese trawler seized by the government last week‚ according to the Department of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries.
The Lu Huang Yuan Yu 186 was one of nine “suspicious” vessels operating off the country’s eastern and southern coasts last week‚ at one point illegally switching off their electronic tracking devices for several hours. It was believed that the ships were illegally fishing for tuna or shark.
When authorities arrested the fleet they originally co-operated. But then suddenly switched off their engines for several hours before‚ in a show of defiance‚ switched them back on simultaneously and scattered. A government tracking vessel stuck with Lu Huang Yuan Yu 186‚ and took it into custody into Cape Town at about 3am on Saturday
The boat was docked and boarded for search operations on Saturday afternoon‚ the Department of Forestry‚ Agriculture and Fisheries (DAFF) said.
DAFF said there were a total of nine crew members on board‚ and that no fish had been discovered‚ but fishing equipment was found.
The crew claimed to have been travelling to the Democratic Republic of Congo where they claimed they were going to fish and that they had the necessary permits to do so.
“Although there was no fish discovered on vessel‚ they have contravened the Marine Living Resources Act (MLRA). The Marine Living Resource Act‚ 18 of 1998 infringements identified during this process is a contravention in terms of Section 13 (1) read with Section 58 (1) (a) (i) and (b) in that; the said fishing vessel entered the South African Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) without the authority of a valid permit.
“The vessel also contravened Section 56 (2) in that master or crew member of the fishing vessel in question‚ did not immediately comply with the lawful instruction as given by a fishery control officer and also did not facilitating the safe boarding‚ entry and inspection of the fishing vessel‚” DAFF stated.
A formal DAFF Seizure Notice in terms Section 51 (3) (c) (ii) of the Act had been drafted in respect of the vessel Lu Huang Yuan Yu 186 and included seizure of its gear‚ equipment‚ stores and cargo.
This vessel would also not be allowed to leave the Port of Cape Town or relocate to any other berthing space within the port‚ unless written authorisation in this regard was provided by the DAFF‚ it added.
“The SAMSA infringements identified which involves all 9 vessels turning off all navigational lights to facilitate their escape and endangering / compromising safety of lives at sea will be taken up with SAMSA during the investigation process. Evidence in this regard will be provided by DAFF.”
The South African Revenue Services had also issued the crew of the seized vessel with an R8‚000 fine for tobacco and cigarette related charges‚ DAFF said.
It added that a case docket in terms of the charges would be completed and presented to the National Prosecuting Authority.
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