Perreault Magazine - 55 -
"The recent arrests are proof of the crucial role of Fisheries Crimes Unit of Interpol and international cooperation in the fight against illegal fishing," says Captain Hammarstedt. "Global collaboration is essential to combat this global crime, global both in its nature and its repercussions," he concluded.
In 2015 Spain’s agriculture ministry imposed fines of over €17m on three vessels owned by the Galician-based company, the very same three vessels Sea Shepherd pursued into the Southern Ocean and Sea Shepherd has provided evidence against them.
Over the last year the tentacles of the international fish poaching ring have been reaching out from a base in Galicia. Sea Shepherd has been hacking off the tentacles one by one globally and this week the police struck the heart of the monster in Galicia.
When Sea Shepherd first initiated this program it was met with strong criticism from Australian politicians and from various large “green” NGO’s around the world.
Sea Shepherd was told we were foolish, that we could not even find them, (they were found within 8 days), and if found that Sea Shepherd had no authority to act. Sea Sheherd was told that if any attempt to confiscate nets would result in charges of theft or absurdly of illegal fishing.