What happens if a ship crosses outside territorial waters without permit?

CAIRO – 20 April 2022: Egypt Today highlights in this article the terms of the Egyptian Law of Lakes and Fisheries regarding ships crossing outside territorial waters without permit.

The punishment to be imposed according to the law will be license withdrawal for either one year or permanently. In the below lines, et will discuss the conditions.

The Egyptian Law of Lakes and Fisheries issued No. 146 of 2021 stated that if it is proven that a boat is outside the territorial waters without a permit, or that it has undertaken any illegal, unregulated or unreported fishing activity, the license is withdrawn for a period of one year, and if the violation is repeated, the license is withdrawn permanently.

Article No. 36 of the law stipulates that if it is proven that the boat is outside the territorial waters without a permit from the Ministry of Defense or that it has undertaken any illegal, unregulated or unreported fishing, the license shall be withdrawn for a period of one year, and if the violation is repeated, the license shall be withdrawn permanently.

The license will be permanently withdrawn if the vessel carried out any activities in any of the neighboring countries without having agreements with those countries.

Same penalty will also be imposed in case the vessel was used in illegal activities such as: smuggling, illegal immigration, sale or smuggling of petroleum products, or any other activities not specified in the license issued to the vessel, or operating a boat license on more than one hull.

On April 13, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has signed Law No. 22 of 2022 amending some provisions of Law No. 82 of 2016 on combating illegal migration and the smuggling of migrants.

Under the amendments, tougher penalties shall be imposed on whoever commits, initiates, or mediates in the crime of smuggling migrants.The law was published in the Official Gazette last week.