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Spanish authorities penalize ship or overfishing in NAFO area
JAMIE BAKER
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — Fisheries inspection officials in Spain have penalized one of their own ships for committing offences in Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) waters off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Patricia Sotelo was cited on May 9 for misreporting its turbot catches after an at-sea boarding by Canadian and European Union (EU) fisheries inspectors.
Based on the results of a pair of inspections carried out by Spanish authorities, the Patricia Sotelo has been fined 100,000 euros — about $144,400 CDN.
The ship’s fishing days were also reduced to corresponded with the amount of days it would have taken for the vessel to catch the amount of fish it had taken over its quota limit.
Federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn said the fine may not seem huge in the overall scheme of things. But coupled with being forced to tie up at the wharf for eight months, he said, the punishments are substantial.
“Just imagine if Fishery Products had been told, ‘you can’t have one of your big draggers go out fishing for eight months.’ It has a devastating effect on the bottom line,” Hearn said.
“To think, even last year, that Spain would keep one of its boats out of the fishery for eight months and fine it 100,000 euros … that stuff is devastating to the companies involved.”
The citation against the Patricia Sotelo has been referred to as being the only major citation handed out in the northwest Atlantic in 2007. It is also the first citation to fall under newly introduced NAFO enforcement rules.
However, with its fines paid and the required days off the water met, at last report the Patricia Sotelo had returned to fish in the NAFO area.
Hearn acknowledges that may create fodder for criticism, but he argues that the punishment fit the crime — and that it sets a precedent both for the Patricia Sotelo and any other would-be overfishers.
“I would suggest if that boat is caught again in the near future, the punishment will be even heavier,” he said. “They cannot afford to keep carrying on like that, nor will they. Since this lesson was taught we have not had a single (serious) violation.”
The inspection carried out May 9 estimated that the Patricia Sotelo had over-fished its turbot quota by approximately 100 per cent.
Inspectors from the European Union reinforced those figures. The hold was sealed and the ship was directed back to the port in Spain for further inspection.
Canadian inspectors were on hand while the Spanish carried out that inspection May 17 and 18. The head of fisheries inspections in Spain, Jose Navarro, reported that the Patricia Sotelo had, in fact, exceeded its NAFO turbot quota by 113 per cent.
Furthermore, it was noted that an earlier inspection of the ship carried out in March 2007 had shown turbot catches that were a little more than 10 per cent beyond the quota limit.
Hearn said beefed-up offshore patrols have been key elements in addressing offshore fisheries offences.
“The owners of these Spanish boats looked me in the eye and said, ‘it is your coast guard, your presence on the water that is the real deterrent — we know we can’t get away with anything anymore but, besides that, we are understanding the importance of conserving the fishery,’” Hearn said.
“With the Spanish and Portuguese — Spain in particular with the new government — environment and conservation have become major issues.”
At this point the case is considered to be still open, and there may yet be more penalties.
The Spanish fisheries department has been asked to take further actions against the Patricia Sotelo’s owner and it’s captain.
It may take up to a year, however, before any further word is heard on that front.
“ We did a lot of visitation and preaching internationally … and my statement was clear right up to the (European) commissioner: Either you clean up your act, or we will clean it up for you. But we would rather clean it up with you,” Hearn said.
“They accepted the challenge and delivered it on it.”
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Source:
The Western Star
Feb. 12, 2008
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