US embassy cable - 05MAPUTO1410

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001410 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
AF/S - TREGER 
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FOR ROBERT TELCHIN 
AF/RSA - BITTRICK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIS, KCRM, PREL, CH, MZ 
SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE - CHINESE FISHING BOAT SEIZED IN MAPUTO 
 
REF: A. 04 MAPUTO 406 
     B. MAPUTO 1297 
 
1. On October 26 Mozambican authorities seized a Chinese 
fishing vessel in Maputo's port, after it was found to be 
carrying an illegal catch of four tons of shark and tuna, 
according to press reports.  The vessel, Da Yuan Yu 309, had 
docked at the port due to engine trouble.  Mozambican 
authorities suspect that the amount of fish caught was much 
more than four tons - possibly as much as 70-100 tons - and 
that the bulk of the catch had been transferred earlier to 
another vessel offshore.  No exact value was given for the 
four tons of fish, but according to press reports it is worth 
"many thousands of dollars."  The vessel carried a crew of 35 
Chinese.  Some tried to scratch off the registration markings 
on the hull of the vessel while it was tied up in harbor, but 
ultimately gave up doing so. 
 
2. At a news conference called jointly by experts from the 
Mozambican Ministry of Fisheries, the Confederation of 
Business Associations (CTA) and a group called "Watching the 
Horizon" that monitors suspect fishing activity along the 
coast, it was claimed that there are regularly between 
100-120 "pirate" boats illegally fishing in Mozambique's 
waters.  Most boats are believed to be Chinese.  Many 
(perhaps most) use long-lining methods, with fishing lines 
with hooks on them every meter or so stretching up to 20 
kilometers in length.  A spokesman for the joint news 
conference told reporters, "We know this type of fishing is 
destroying our country's marine riches.  And one of the 
biggest tourist, ecological and economic resources of our 
country is in the sea." 
 
3. This seizure follows a seizure in March 2004 of two 
Chinese vessels that docked at Beira, Mozambique's second 
city further north on the coast (Ref A).  The GRM confiscated 
their catch of some 70 tons of shark fins. 
 
4. Comment:  The government is concerned about damage to 
Mozambique's fisheries but lacks resources to protect its 
waters.  That they got this boat is due to the boat's engine 
trouble and to the "Watching the Horizon" informal 
surveillance and reporting network.  The government has no 
patrol boats to conduct surveillance or arrests.  The GRM 
receives substantial Chinese assistance and relations - 
certainly economic relations, at least - between the two 
countries have been growing stronger in recent years (Ref B). 
La Lime