The Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs was on Tuesday forced to respond about the ownership of an industrial fishing vessel operating on Kenyan shores.
Kenyans started raising concerns on Sunday, July 28, after Principal Secretary, of the State Department for the Blue Economy and Fisheries Betsy Njagi revealed that Kenya had flagged its first industrial fishing vessel.
A quick look at the vessel named F/V Txorri Gorri showed that although it carried a Kenyan flag, it was owned by one of the largest Tuna fishing companies in the world.
Additionally, the vessel was from Spain having Bermeo, Spain as its port of registry and having been in operation since 2007.
PS Njagi on Tuesday while clarifying the ownership of the vessel remarked that it was operating under the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).
According to Njagi, IOTC maintains the record of all authorised vessels operating in the Indian Ocean territory.
“No vessel can fish for tuna and tuna-like species without the authorisation,” Njagi explained.
“Flag states are responsible for the vessels in the Record of Authorised Vessels and have the right to control their operations and report to IOTC.”
The PS further revealed that the tuna fish which will be caught from the Spanish vessel will belong to Kenya.
“In case of any wrongdoing by a flagged vessel, the flag state is expected to take action as per the country's regulations,” she added.
Spanish vessels have been on the spot for using third-world countries to surpass the allocated quota for fishing tuna in world waters.
In 2011, as a way of way to ensure the preservation of tuna, a maximum annual fishing quota for tuna was imposed for each country.
A loophole was devised by the international fishing companies where they use third world countries flag’s so as to fish using their allocated tuna quota.
