One out of five fish caught in the Barents Sea is fished illegally, says the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Greenpeace estimates "pirate fishing" accounts for 25% of the global catch and is worth $9 billion a year.
In response to concern over the impact of illegal fishing on stocks, the EU fish processors association AIPCEE last September agreed voluntary guidelines to tighten procedures and introduce a chain of custody into the cod and haddock supply chain.1In a letter to Norwegian fisheries minister Helga Pedersen, manufacturers committed to follow the guidelines and refuse fish from black-listed ships.
While the companies "applaud" the move to publish a black list, the group has called on Norway to also publish a "white-list" of legal fishing vessels. The firms also want clearer legal standards for listing and transparent criteria for delisting.
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