31 March 2021
SHG has been made aware of concerns from the public that the vessel Ramses Dous is adrift North of James Bay and could potentially be fishing whilst in St Helena waters.
The vessel is unable to anchor in James Bay as it is not in possession of a mechanism needed to deploy the anchor that is on-board. The Captain communicated this to SHG authorities at the time of their SOLAS request.
Port Control has therefore instructed the Captain to remain between two to three nautical miles outside of James Bay. This distance is in order to maintain quarantine conditions on-board as well as to avoid the vessel from drifting ashore.
It is not possible for the vessel to use any of the vacant mooring buoys in James Bay in order to moor closer to shore, as the moorings aren’t certified to accommodate the weight specification of the fishing vessel. To use the moorings would pose a health and safety risk to other marine occupants in James Bay.
Since last week, the vessel has remained just outside of James Bay in quarantine conditions and has been monitored since their arrival by the Marine Enforcement Section to ensure no fishing takes place.
The Marine Enforcement Section monitors St Helena’s 200nm exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and also monitors a 100nm buffer zone around the EEZ.
Port Control, and the Marine Enforcement Section, are confident that the Ramses Dous is adhering to local maritime and fishing regulations whilst in St Helena waters.
SHG
31 March 2021