(Ecofin Agency) - Seven Chinese trawling vessels have been arrested off the Casamance coast in the south western part of Senegal for illegal fishing. This was revealed to Reuters by Karim Maram, naval Captain and head of the patrol mission responsible for the arrest.

Recalling that “the trawlers were caught in the flagrant offence”, the official said Chinese fishermen as well as employees from Guinea-Bissau and Guinea were on board.

The vessels’ arrest is the second in West Africa after another last month where authorities of Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau and Guinea confiscated eight vessels.

It should be noted that illegal fishing causes West Africa to lose $2.3 billion each year, according to a study from Frontiers in Marine Science.

Espoir Olodo