Cabinda — Nine of the fifteen Angolan fishermen arrested and convicted in Gabon in 2021 for illegal fishing were released Wednesday in Libreville, ANGOP hás learned.

The fishermen, from Cabinda province, were accused of violating territorial waters, illegal fishing in fishing reserves and insecurity on Gabonese oil platforms.

According to a source at the Embassy of Angola in Gabon, after about two years, the Gabonese justice system decided to release only the nine detainees who had been serving preventive detention since August 2021.

He said that now the next step is the transfer of the nine fishermen to the Foreigners Detention Center of the Migration and Foreigners Services, to await their release and be repatriated to Angola, via Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo.

The other six fishermen will remain detained and await a new pronouncement from the local court.

Since 2021, around 40 Angolan fishermen who violated the territorial waters of Gabon and Congo have been accused of illegal fishing, with some having been released after serving prison terms and others paying fines.

The Fishermen's Association of Cabinda (APC) only has the registration of more than 3.000 fishermen legalized in the Captaincy, of the approximately 19.000 who perform fishing activities in the main municipality of Cabinda, and about 800 artisanal vessels. PL/VIC/CF/NIC