Not just illegal fishing / by Francisco Blaha

Not that i'm a assiduous reader of the Somali Agenda news site, but my friend Jorge Torrens has been working there with FAO for a while, and sent me this "jewel" that I quote below, in regards the potential ramifications of IUU fishing and Korea's ineptitude as a responsible Flag State, a plot from a movie develops including corruption, assassinations, British mercenaries and the lot, as you will read... 

Mogadishu, Somalia’s Auditor-General Nur Farah has spoken with the Voice of America’s Somali Service to explain the mystery surrounding the South Korean Fishing Trawler that was captured illegally fishing in Somalia waters last week.

Confirming much of the exclusive revelations, the Auditor General has for the first time publicly accused the country’s Attorney-General Ahmed Ali Dahir and the Banadir Regional Court Chief of being responsible for the release of the fishing trawler. More troubling however, the Auditor-General has for the first time revealed of a plot to assassinate him within the Mogadishu’s Presidential Palace compound.

Not the Poseidon... but surely not too different. 

Not the Poseidon... but surely not too different. 

In particular, the Auditor-General accused the President’s Chief of Staff Ali Omar more commonly known as Ali Balcad of personally threatening the Auditor-General and labeling him a “security threat,” shortly before the assassination attempt was made on the life of the Auditor-General.

The South Korean Fishing Vessel’s positions 

The South Korean Fishing Vessel’s positions 

According to the Auditor-General, the South Korean Fishing Trawler Poseidon is currently in Ceel Macaan, just north of Mogadishu actively fishing illegally in Somali waters. Sources tell SOMALI AGENDA almost $1.5 million has been paid to secure the release of the fishing trawler and deposited in a bank in Kenya with unnamed presidential aides being tasked to collect the money.

Since the inception of the current administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, critics have accused the president of enabling corruption to take deep roots in his government. In December of last year, The Bloomberg BUSINESSWEEK has disclosed documents and shady deals signed by former Natural Resources Minister Abdirazak Omar Mohamed which gave two British ex-Servicemen fishing rights over Somali waters. Abdirazak Omar Mohamed is currently a senior adviser to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Oil and Gas.

So as you see, IUU fishing is deeply ingrained in the murkiest deals in many countries... is not just about illegal fishing...

Source here