Russia: Illegal Fishing and Poaching on the Rise
2009-7-10 2:55
Russian authorities pursue a ship in Kamchatka in Russia's Far East.
They think the "Pacific Cat" is carrying a haul of illegally caught fish.
On board — 20 tons of frozen red Kamchatka and dying blue crabs.
Illegal fishing boomed in the years after the break-up of the Soviet Union as locals turned to poaching to survive.
This crew member says they're forced into illegal work by tough economic conditions.
[Evgeny Zenkin, Detained "Pacific Cat" crew member]:
"Since there isn't any work on land, and salaries are too small, people are ready to accept any conditions that are offered from an, shall we say, illegal or just some kind of company, out of nowhere."
The salmon and crab population in Kamchatka has fallen sharply in the past few years.
The region is economically depressed and has little developed industry.
Stopping poachers has become a big job for Russian border control.
They say poaching is damaging the area's ecosystem.
[Aleksandr Artyukh, Coast Guard]:
"Kamchatka and blue crab stocks have already significantly decreased on the continental shelf of the Bering and Okhota seas in our region. Therefore the head of the Border Control team is paying special attention to protecting these particular species of crabs."
The authorities say only ten percent of the fish caught around Kamchatka is being poached.
But locals and non-governmental organizations say the real figures are much higher.
The government is stepping up its crackdown on the poachers.
But in an area with high unemployment and few prospects for locals, it might be a long battle to defeat illegal fishing.
