On Saturday, the National Salvation Government in Sana’a warned foreign commercial ships against destroying Yemen’s wealth and coral reefs.
In a news statement, the ministry of fisheries denounced the recent involvement of the coalition-backed government in allowing Chinese ships to fish in Yemeni waters illegally in a violation of international law.
The statement confirmed the presence of an illegal Chinese fishing fleet equipped with high technology, fuel ships, and transport boats. The fleet is working to catch and dredge stocks of squid and other types of fish and marine creatures in the Sea of Oman, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
The statement affirmed that the illegal Chinese fishing operations may deprive Yemen of its wealth if it causes a sharp decline of fish and their non-reproduction in Yemeni territorial waters. This could be a real threat to fish stocks because of the erosion of coral reefs and the death of quantities of fish and marine organisms.
It called on the international community and environmental organizations to intervene urgently to protect Yemeni fish and coral reefs from systematic destruction.
