Search
Close this search box.
GBC
GHANA WEATHER

Kenya targets 'fish thieves' with new coastguard

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Pinterest

Kenya’s president has launched the country’s first coastguard to protect and monitor its territorial waters.
It will guard against illegal fishing, which President Uhuru Kenyatta says costs Kenya about $100m (£78m) a year.
It is also intended to secure territorial waters against smuggling and drug trafficking.
Until now, Kenya’s maritime security depended solely on the Navy. Authorities say it will now be free to focus on security and military affairs.
But Kenya’s coastguard currently only has one boat, which means the new force will still rely heavily on the Navy until it finds its footing, says the BBC’s Ferdinand Omondi in the capital, Nairobi.
The Navy has often undertaken joint anti-drugs operations with other security forces in the coastal city of Mombasa. In 2014 on President Kenyatta’s orders, it destroyed a ship alleged to have been carrying illegal drugs worth $12.6m (£9.8m).
Launching the coastguard unit near the shore of Mombasa, President Kenyatta unveiled the vessel – called the MV Doria – that has been commissioned for surveillance purposes.
At the event, Mr Kenyatta said foreign vessels trawling Kenyan waters was a major concern.
He later tweeted about the need to guard against foreign vessels who “steal our fish”.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT