Pirate fishermen 'exporting catch to the EU'

European Voice ^ | 11.10.2012 / 16:14 CET (October 10) | Dave Keating

[Olog-hai]

Pirate fishing vessels in west Africa are selling their illegal catch in Europe, according to a report published today (11 October) by the Environmental Justice Foundation.

The report says that more pirate fishing takes place in west African waters than anywhere else in the world, and one-third of the catch in the region is illegal. During a two-year investigation, the EJF found 250 reports of pirate fishing by industrial vessels in Sierra Leone's waters alone.

A 2010 EU regulation authorizes the European Commission to blacklist vessels caught fishing illegally and even blacklist countries that fail to prevent pirate fishing under their flags. But the report said the regulation is not working, particularly because flag-switching is making vessels difficult to track. …

[fini]

OK, I give up. How do illegally catch fish? Do you stick a gun in its back and say, “you're coming with me!”