Source: Faro de Vigo
Tuna, being a migratory species, will not change their route and head towards the south within the coming months despite pirates attempts to surround the tuna vessels fishing in the Indian Ocean. And tuna vessels will continue their journey to achieve the required catch levels.
Pirates are now moving and expanding their location. Therefore, the crew of these vessels fishing for tuna is “surprised and concerned†about the pirates’ move toward more southern waters, according to the captain of the tuna seiner “Txori Argiâ€, which is owned by the Basque company Inpesca.
He indicated that the tuna vessel is to operate in the Mozambique Channel next March. This is the location where the “Vega V†vessel was abducted. “We must be very careful because there are no safe areas,†he said. The Mozambique Channel is an important and lucrative skipjack tuna catching ground for purse seiners during the spring catching season.
“It is true that for the past month, there had been no sightings of skiffs in the area where the Spanish ships are now operating, but that does not mean anything because they kidnap merchant or pole and line boats and use them as their base,†he said.
Similar comments were made last week by Antonio Costas, from the tuna seiner Alakrana, which was abducted for 52 days last year. The Alakrana arrived at Port Victoria in Seychelles last week to unload its tuna catch. The crew had not spotted any suspicious boats during the trip, “however, the pirates can appear at any given moment because they have more and better weapons,†the “Txori Argi†captain said.
Although Spanish vessels are now fishing with security guards on board, the crew still feels “abandoned†by the governments.