The Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy of the Federal Republic of Somalia has issued a strong statement opposing the draft Resolution on Allocation Regime currently under review by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). The proposed resolution aims to establish quotas for tuna and tuna-like species, covering both the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of member states and international waters.
In his address, the Minister highlighted the pressing issue of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing that plagues Somalia’s rich fishing grounds. Despite the abundance of tuna in its EEZ and surrounding waters, Somalia has not been able to reap the economic benefits, with distant water fleets largely exploiting these resources.
