KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Pirate attacks off Somalia jumped tenfold in the first three months of 2009 compared to last year, a maritime watchdog said Tuesday, urging foreign navies to maintain their patrols.

The International Maritime Bureaus (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre said that worldwide, incidents of high-seas piracy almost doubled in the first quarter of 2009, from 53 to 102.

"The increase in the first quarter of 2009 is due almost entirely to increased Somali pirate activity off the Gulf of Aden and east coast of Somalia," it said, adding that attacks there rose from six to 61.

A total of 178 crew were taken hostage, two were killed, nine were injured, and five kidnapped.

"In the majority of incidents, the attackers were heavily armed with guns or knives. Violence against crew members continues to increase," it said.

The piracy watchdog commended the role of the foreign navies who have been patrolling the lawless region, and thwarting many attacks.

"The navies have played a key role in controlling piracy in the Gulf of Aden. It is vital that these naval operations continue," IMB director Pottengal Mukundan said in a statement.

Some two dozen international ships -- operating under United States, European Union and NATO commands -- patrol the seas off Somalia where pirate attacks soared 200 percent last year from 2007.

US President Barack Obama's administration has pledged to step up the piracy fight following the capture of a US cargo ship earlier this month.

Representatives of 24 nations are to meet next month in New York to look at legal measures to fight the crime wave.

The IMB director said that Nigeria was another "high-risk area" and that in the first quarter of 2009 seven incidents were recorded there, with another 13 attacks unconfirmed, nearly all on vessels connected to the oil industry.

"It is important that all incidents off Nigeria are reported to the (centre). This will enable a more complete picture to be presented by the international community to Nigerian authorities so that they can better prioritise and resource their law enforcement agencies to respond," he said.

The IMB applauded Indonesian authorities for their successful campaign to shut down piracy in the Malacca Straits. Once the world's top pirate hotspot, only one incident was recorded in the quarter, compared to five a year ago.

"The littoral states should be complimented for their continued efforts in maintaining and securing the safety of this strategic trade route," the IMB said.

"Given the current state of the global economy, there are concerns that piracy may increase. Navies and coastguards must continue to maintain their physical presence."