US beefs up Mozambique Navy with patrol boats

Jan 16, 2007
Author: P&S

The fledgling Mozambique Navy has taken possession of three patrol boats donated by the United States to help the southern African country protect its maritime and lake resources against illegal poaching of fish resources.

The three boats, which arrived in the country in late December, will go into service at the naval bases of Tete on the Zambezi, at Metangula on Lake Niassa and at the northern port of Nacala.

According to Mozambique’s chief of the navy Rear Admiral Patricio Jotamo, foreign fishing fleets have been able to act with impunity along the long Mozambique coastline, netting sharks for their fins but also taking turtles and other sealife which are caught up in the nets and on the long lines. He said that more than 42 dead turtles were counted in the Bazaruto area in just one month, thought to be victims of illegal net fishing.

Meanwhile, a US company has been contracted to help train Kenyan ports on security matters. In terms of a World Bank-funded East African Trade and Transport Facilitation project, the American company Aviation & General Security Consultants has entered into a contract to help train KPA personnel on port-related security matters.

The training programme will take place over the next 14 months and includes the drawing up of new security procedures.