Africa-Press – Angola. The two Congolese industrial and semi-industrial fishing vessels seized in March and May this year are still being held by the maritime safety authorities of the province of Cabinda, for non-compliance with the payment of fines imposed, in the total amount of 194 million of kwanzas.
These are the vessels Sanha (registration PN-370) and Roncador (registration PN 559), seized in the coastal zone of Tchississi, commune of Massabi/Cacongo, for violating the national maritime border and practicing illegal fishing.
As part of the registered crimes, each company was fined 97 million kwanzas.
At the time, six sailors were found on the ship Sanha, including two Chinese, one Malian and three Congolese who had already been repatriated.
The authorities of the Captaincy of Cabinda, on the Roncador ship, found four crew members, of which two Chinese and an equal number of Congolese also already repatriated to Ponta-Negra, Republic of Congo (RC).
This Wednesday, the head of the Department of Maritime Safety of the Port Authority of Cabinda, João Massiala, reiterated that the liberalization of the two ships will depend on the settlement of fines applied for the violation of territorial waters and the practice of illegal fishing.
“While the fines are not settled, the ships will remain detained at the Port of Cabinda. We will only deliver them as soon as the applied action is fulfilled”, he said.
During these months, the amateur of the Roncador vessel, belonging to the Socopeça de Ponta-Negra company, asked the Angolan Ministry of Fisheries to reduce the fine by 20% of the total fine imposed, a request accepted by the institution.
Thus, the fine for the aforementioned company is increased from Kz 97 million to Kz 47 million, according to the head of the Maritime Safety Department of the Port of Cabinda Captaincy.
As for the ship Sanha, according to João Massiala, the shipowner Rong Chang has yet to comment on whether or not to request a reduction in the amount of the applied fine of 97 million kwanzas.
According to the official, the sector is experiencing critical moments due to the lack of means to inspect the coast and the only search and rescue vessel that assists in the inspection is also undergoing maintenance at the SARMAR shipyards in Lobito, Benguela province.
In the last two months, also according to the source, the presence of industrial and semi-industrial fishing vessels that violate territorial waters and practice illegal fishing in the northern part of the province, specifically in the sea of Cacongo, next to the maritime border, has increased. with Ponta Negra (RC).
“We have difficulties in carrying out inspections. We don’t have the means. We need the means, because the acts of violation in our waters have increased. We have received many complaints from the security services of Chevron platforms and from the fishermen of Lândana, in the municipality of Cacongo “, he lamented.
The seizure of these Congolese ships was the result of joint work between the National War Navy, the Fiscal Police and the Captaincy, during the usual operations to control the coast of Cabinda, which departs from the mouth of the Zaire river, passing through the southern area of Yabi to Tchississi/Massabi, next to the Luemi River, limit of the sea and river border with Congo Brazzaville.
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