The President of the Association of Marine Engineers and Surveyors (AMES), Engr. Charles Uwadia has said that the fish trawler operators will continue to attract the attention of the sea pirates at sea so long as they continue to carry money onboard.
Uwadia who stated this in an interview with Primetime Reporters in Lagos advised the trawler operators to look inwards to see how they could stop having money onboard to stop the rate of attacks adding that if there was no money onboard, it would no longer be attractive for the pirates to attack them.
He wondered why trawler operators would be having money onboard while at sea even when they were given bunker, water, food and everything it takes to survive for the number of days they would be spending at sea and are in contact with the office on daily basis.
According to him,” I know there is a lot of insecurity out there especially as it affects these ship trawlers but again, you see, ship trawling own is a different keg of fish. What I am saying is that they attack these fish trawlers at sea out there because they know they have money onboard at any point in time because as they are catching, they are selling. So they have money.
“Basically, when they come most of the time, it is this money they are after that they know is onboard. They too have to look inwards to see how they can stop them from having money onboard and if there is no money onboard, it will not be attractive for the pirates to come.
“Why do you have money onboard on this our water? A trawler is going to sea for instance, you are going to be there for forty-five days, you are given you forty-five days bunker, you are given your forty-five days water, you are given your forty-five days food, you are given everything it takes, there is communication between you and the vessel, you are less than 200 nautical miles and then you are in contact with your office every day, so, why do you need money onboard? Are you going to buy diesel outside? Are you going to buy food there?
“The main target of the attackers is the money because these people are busy selling fish, as they are selling, they are making money. That is why some of them are claiming that they are underpaid, that they are paid N15, 000, some of them even ready to go to sea even if they are not paid”.
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