The Liberian coast guard has detained three foreign vessels that were fishing illegally in the country's waters, in a joint operation with the Sea Sheperd environmental group, the defence ministry said today.
Two of the ships were from China and Ghana, Defence Ministry spokesman David Dahn said.
He did not indicate the nationality of the third, which was held "near the Ivoirian border but in our waters", but Sea Sheperd said it was from Senegal.
The joint Operation Sola Stella involving some 20 people began more than three weeks ago in order to "totally eradicate the illegal fishing in our waters", Dahn said.
Sea Shepherd confirmed the information in a statement.
It said two Israeli maritime advisors and conservationists were "providing training assistance" as part of the operation.
The NGO quoted Defence Minister Brownie Samukai as saying he would "personally make sure" that those arrested "will be punished to the full extent of the law. We will make it very, very clear that the time for illegal fishing is over.
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