Patrols against illegal fishing in government preserved water bodies will remain sustained to protect marine resources for the current and future generations, the House of Representatives was told here on Monday.
Blue Economy and Fisheries Minister Abdulla Hussein Kombo said the government through the ministry is determined to enforce the laws and regulations that govern the uses of resources from the ocean.
Answering a question by Tumbatu Representative Haji Omar Kheri, who sought clarification over the harassment of fishermen in Tumbatu Islet, Minister Kombo dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
He said no fishermen was harassed but condemned the tendency by unscrupulous fishers, who disobey the law.
The minister cited the rising trend of people fishing illegally in areas that the government has earmarked for conservation activities.
“It’s unfortunate that some fishermen trespass into confines that the government has allotted for conservation,”
Minister Kombo told the house, reminding fishermen to observe the laws and regulations and stop using inappropriate fishing gears.
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