Crab poaching by Russians in Japanese EEZ rises rapidly, reflecting more enforcement in Russia
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [JAPAN REPORTS] Hokkaido - Aug 26, 2014
The Hokkaido Fisheries Adjustment Office of the Fisheries Agency said it has collected during this summer 291 crab baskets that appeared have been set by Russian fishing boats in Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off Monbetsu, northeastern Hokkaido, as well as 2,482.9 kilograms of snow crab (corresponding to 6,439 crab) caught in those baskets.
The number of baskets collected show a sharp increase of 5.5-fold from a year ago, with the volume of poached crab swelling 4.8-fold.
The office suspected that the Russian boats are engaging in illegal fishing activities, shifting the fishing grounds into the Japanese EEZ as regulation by the Russian authorities have been tightened within its own domestic waters.
The Fisheries Agency's four enforcement vessels conducted this year’s basket collection activities twice in July 7-22 and July 26-August 4 in the area near the Russian border.
The vessels sank special equipment to the sea bottom...
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