This story is taken from www.stopillegalfishing.com
On the 23rd of February 2012, almost three years since its arrest, the High Court of the Republic of Tanzania delivered its verdict in the case of the fishing vessel Tawariq 1; guilty. The Court ordered the vessel to be forfeited to the Government. The Captain of the fishing vessel, Mr. Hsu Chin Tai and the ship's agent Mr. Zhao Hanquing were found guilty of fishing without a licence in the Tanzanian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). They have been sentenced to pay 1 billion Tanzanian shillings each (USD 625,975) or go to jail for twenty years. The Captain was also fined a further of 20 billion Tanzanian shillings (USD 12,519,500) for the offence of pollution.
On the 8th of March 2009, the Tawariq 1, supposedly registered to Oman, was intercepted 180 nautical miles off the Tanzanian coast, and subsequently arrested by a South African Environmental Protection vessel EPV Sarah Baartman. The vessel had no flag visible or hoisted, the radar was switched off, no license or permit was produced and no port of registry was provided. Multiple names were found on the vessel. The name No.68 Bu Young was found embossed on the port and starboard bows as well as on the stern of the vessel and at the upper part of the wheel house. The name Tawariq was painted over the name Buyoung in several places on the hull. Life-rings, the service record of one of the life-rafts and other documents indicated the name of a Korean fishing vessel, namely No.11 Insung. The vessel that uses long-lines, was caught with more than 200 tonnes of fresh and frozen tuna on board.
Read the full story on http://www.stopillegalfishing.com/sifnews_article.php?ID=79
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