- More EU Member States must take responsibility against fisheries crime
Historical archive
Published under: Solberg's Government
Publisher: Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries
Press release | Date: 23/09/2015
- Norway has been a driving force internationally for efforts to combat fisheries crime. Now more EU Member States should follow up on these efforts, the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries Elisabeth Aspaker said when she spoke at the European Parliament on Wednesday.
Norway took the initiative to establish INTERPOL's work against fisheries crime in 2013 and the Fisheries Crime Working Group in INTERPOL is currently chaired by Norway. Five EU Member States have participated, but Aspaker thinks far more should join.
- Every six fish imported into the EU are illegally caught. EU Member States have a clear responsibility to combat fisheries crime, Aspaker says.
Aspaker calls for a stronger European leadership in the fight against fisheries crime and asks EU Member States actively to contribute to an increased focus in the UN context on issues related to international organized crime in the fishing sector.
- INTERPOL's work against fisheries crime has yielded results. The rolling up of a network fishing for Patagonian toothfish in the Southern Ocean has been one of the most important victories. Investigations and criminal sanctions are essential in order to successfully combat fisheries crime. The job is not done until the perpetrators are caught and owners on land are held liable, the Minister stresses.