Somaliland and Puntland forces seize dozens of foreign fishing boats, including Iranian and Yemeni vessels, in a coordinated maritime crackdown.
A rare display of maritime assertiveness has unfolded along the Somaliland and Puntland coast, where Somaliland and Puntland authorities have independently — and perhaps quietly in coordination — captured multiple foreign fishing vessels accused of plundering the region’s waters.
The operations, which took place over the past week, represent a significant escalation in local enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing — an issue long neglected by international partners and central authorities in Mogadishu.
In Puntland, the Maritime Police Force (PMPF) led a sweeping crackdown that netted seven vessels, including three owned by Yemeni nationals and one belonging to Iranian operators.
Officials confirmed that two Yemeni boats have already faced trial in Baargaal District Court, resulting in fines and legal penalties under Puntland’s anti-illegal fishing laws.
Four additional vessels — one Yemeni and three Iranian — were escorted to Bosaso with 45 foreign crew members for prosecution.
Meanwhile, in Somaliland’s Zeylac district, the Coast Guard detained 21 boats and 102 individuals, including Somali and Yemeni nationals. The second Coast Guard base, which led the operation, was publicly commended for what officials described as “a decisive stand to defend national waters.”
All detained vessels, according to Somaliland authorities, were operating without licenses or permission.
Though officials in both administrations have stopped short of confirming joint operations, reliable sources told WARYATV that Somaliland and Puntland are now cooperating on coastal security, trade monitoring, and anti-smuggling efforts — an unprecedented move between two regions that have historically had strained relations.
A regional analyst familiar with maritime affairs described the arrests as “the first visible sign of synchronized enforcement along the Gulf of Aden coastline,” suggesting that “security pragmatism is slowly replacing political rivalry.”
The Gulf of Aden and Red Sea corridor — one of the world’s busiest maritime routes — has become a magnet for foreign fleets from Yemen, Iran, and occasionally East Asia, who exploit Somalia’s weak enforcement capacity and political fragmentation.
These illegal operations deplete fish stocks, devastate local livelihoods, and sometimes serve as fronts for smuggling networks and intelligence-gathering activities linked to foreign actors.
The capture of Iranian vessels is particularly sensitive. Tehran has been accused by regional states of using its fishing fleets for covert reconnaissance and arms transfers across the Arabian Sea.
Puntland’s decision to prosecute Iranian nationals directly is being read as a bold assertion of jurisdiction — and a signal that local administrations will no longer tolerate violations under the cover of diplomacy.
If indeed Somaliland and Puntland are coordinating, the implications reach beyond fisheries.
A maritime security partnership across their shared coastline could reshape regional control of the Red Sea gateway, creating a unified front capable of countering piracy, trafficking, and foreign exploitation — all without Mogadishu’s involvement.
For years, illegal fishing has symbolized Somalia’s sovereignty vacuum. Now, Somaliland and Puntland appear determined to reclaim not just their waters, but the political narrative surrounding them.
The question is whether this new assertiveness will invite cooperation from the international community — or confrontation with those who profit from the chaos at sea.
