Many people have told us they have seen the taretrawlers fishing illegally, miljøvernforbund has told us they have tried to get several cases under way but have been unsuccessful.
We have succeeded. the case took over a year – during this time we were visited on 2 occasions by the police asking us if we were sure of our facts – both times we told them, don’t ask us – look at our pictures and videos.
Over a year passed, finally we asked permission to call the police to find out what was happening.
We recorded the conversation and sent it to the authorities – the case quickly came to a conclusion and we were told that the policeman concerned was under investigation by another force.
Fmc biopolymers and 2 taretrawler skippers got a fine. Not very much but it made them guilty of a crime – that actually by dictionary definition makes them criminals.
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/criminal
Speaking to the Kristiansund paper Tidens krav (https://www.tk.no/) today we were told that FMC biopolymers said that it would criminalize them if they were made to fit ais satellite tracking to their boats – that is so their position can be verified at any time. Hmm they’ve been found guilty of illegal fishing – they have been found guilty of a crime – that by dictionary definition makes them criminals –
They also said that if they were made to fit ais then all other boats of a similar size should have them too. I rather think that the only boats that should by law have tracking are those involved in activities that require exact positioning – now i wonder what boats that would refer to?
We believe that if the true situation was revealed by the press about taretråling in Norway then like in other lands it would be stopped very quickly.
