Thursday, 12 June 2008

Borderguards detain two Cambodia-flagged crabbers within Russia's zone in the Bering Sea

12.06.2008

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, June 12 (Itar-Tass) - Borderguards have detained two Cambodia-flagged crabbers within Russia's exclusive economic zone in the Bering Sea, an official in the public relations group of the Northeastern coast guard department of the Federal Security Service told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

The fishing schooner Nereus-2 under the flag of Cambodia was spotted by the border guarding ship Bars (panther) in its patrolling area. The skipper of the boat defied the borderguards' demand to take an inspection party on board and made an attempt to shake off the pursuers. The border guards succeeded in detaining the boat after a brief pursuit.

The schooner's crew consists of 11 Russians, five Indonesians, and two Koreans. The boat is equipped to catch and transport live crabs. The boat lacked permission for crab fishing. The boat has been arrested and all documentation has been confiscated.

The other refrigerated fish transport Cea-1 was in Russian waters without identification marks. Following the boat's detention, the skipper said it was registered at the port of Phnom Penh and operated under Cambodia's flag. All the crewmembers are citizens of the Russian Federation.

The borderguards found about 86 tonnes of crabs in the boat's holds. The boat lacked permission for crab fishing operations and did not maintain any documentation.

Both vessels are being escorted to the port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky for an inquiry.

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