According to some media reports, U. S. Navy officials called on the private sector to take action against pirates as the force struggles with lingering deployments off the Somali coast.

Forcing the international community to dispatch naval forces to patrol the volatile waterways, attacks by pirates operating in key shipping lanes off the coast of Somalia are on the rise.

The Christian Science Monitor has reported that U. S. Navy Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, the top Navy commander for U. S. forces in Europe and Africa, said the economics and obligations for his forces limited their effectiveness.

He further said, "I don't think we can sustain the level of operation we've got down there forever."

The shipping industry should consider private contractors to help take action against pirates, noting it was time to get serious about tackling the threat, Fitzgerald said.

However, it was said by industry executives that taking on private security guards could escalate the threat level on the high seas and pose key challenges to international law.

Fitzgerald's comments follow an executive order released by U. S. President Barack Obama declaring a national emergency to deal with the threat posed by those who have "directly or indirectly" supported Somali pirates. (With Inputs from Agencies)