The security and safety of the fishermen of Somalia who are supporting their own communities is as important to European piracy taskforce EU NAVFOR as maritime security is to major international shipping cargo companies.
There are good reasons why EU NAVFOR warships find time to visit local fishermen going about their daily business.
The ESPS Meteoro was conducting counter-piracy patrols along the Somali coast as part of the European Union’s efforts to help make the waters in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden safer from pirate attack. The Spanish crew and marines continue to take every opportunity to meet and talk to fishermen off the coast of Somalia about the concerns they have and the role of the EU Naval Forces in the area.
According to EU NAVFOR, friendly approaches such as this help to build mutual trust and understanding between counter-piracy naval forces and the local Somali community.
During the interaction, the team from ESPS Meteoro spoke to the Somali fishermen about the piracy situation off the coast and concerns that they had; as well as sharing first-hand information about possible piracy incidents throughout the region.
The seafarers thanked the Spanish boarding team and the EU NAVFOR for patrolling the area and safeguarding vessels from pirate attack.
