Bahraini fishermen fishing for hammour in Qatar’s territory will be prosecuted and banned from the country, according to the Qatar Interior Ministry Coasts and Borders Security Department. The statement came after 18 offenders were arrested this week and the previous week.
Majority of the fishermen claimed they were strayed into Qatar’s waters by accident, but the Coastal Security department dismissed the claims, saying that the fishermen “had no excuse to cross Qatari waters to claim that the winds brought them there”. Similar incidents had the same excuse.
Brigadier Al Bedeed said that fishermen from Bahrain and UAE tread on Qatar’s waters because of the popular hammour and the abundance of edible underwater sea life. Al-Beedeed mentioned this in a press conference and was quoted that claims about winds were primitive and contradicting as many of their ships have GPS satellites and maps installed in their systems.
The Brigadier general said that anybody caught crossing the border will be forwarded to the judiciary. While people are allowed to go in Qatari waters, they are not allowed to catch fish. First time offender swill be warned, but continued violations will need judicial action.
Foreigners and tourists fishing in Qatari waters will also be under this law.