A Puntland court has sentenced 15 Iranian fishermen to fines and deportation after they were caught fishing illegally in Puntland’s territorial waters off the Bari coast, marking the region’s latest move to reassert control over its rich but increasingly plundered maritime zones.
According to court officials, each of the convicted Iranian nationals was fined $500 and ordered to be deported immediately following their capture during a Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) operation in the Gulf of Aden.
Two other Iranian fishermen were killed during the chase when they attempted to flee security forces — the court ruled their deaths accidental and dismissed any ransom claims.
The ruling also targeted local collaborators. Two Somali men who allegedly worked with the Iranians were sentenced to three years in prison and fined $2,000 each, while another suspect — still at large — was sentenced in absentia to five years and a $5,000 fine.
The fishing vessel used in the operation was confiscated and fined $70,000, while the illegal catch was seized and transferred to the Puntland administration, the court said.
Rising Maritime Tensions
The verdict comes amid mounting frustration among Puntland’s coastal communities, who have long accused foreign trawlers — mainly from Iran, Yemen, and parts of Asia — of illegally depleting local fish stocks.
Many coastal residents rely on small-scale fishing for survival, and they say the influx of unregulated foreign fleets has devastated livelihoods.
Security officials told WARYATV that the crackdown is part of a broader campaign to restore maritime order and deter foreign poachers.
“This sends a clear message that Puntland waters are not a free-for-all,” a senior PMPF officer said. “Illegal vessels will face justice — no exceptions.”
Regional observers note that illegal fishing has become one of the most destabilizing factors in the Horn of Africa’s coastal economy, fueling resentment, loss of income, and even piracy in the past.
For now, Puntland’s decisive action appears aimed not only at protecting its waters — but also at asserting its sovereignty in a region where maritime law enforcement has long been weak and contested.
Somaliland and Puntland Crack Down on Iranian Illegal Fishing Fleets in the Gulf of Aden
