The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society does not have any mandate from the European Commission to inspect Maltese boats fishing for bluefin tuna and any attempts by the NGO’s volunteers to board boats are illegal, an EU spokesman has said.
A spokesman for EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki was asked to clarify reports received by The Sunday Times that Sea Shepherd officials told Maltese fishermen they were inspecting vessels on behalf of the EU.
A spokesman for the Maltese tuna industry said members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society – which currently has two vessels dispatched in the Mediterranean conducting an anti-illegal bluefin tuna fishing operation – approached Maltese fishermen on the high seas and insisted on inspecting their vessels on behalf of the EU. The request was turned down.
The issue was also taken up by Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil who tabled three questions at the European Parliament.
“We have not given any NGO any mandate to carry inspections,” the Commission spokesman said.
“If these things are happening, fishermen should immediately report these illegalities so we can take the necessary measures. Inspections are only carried by authorities from EU member states and no one else.”
The spokesman added he was not aware of similar reports where activists of the Sea Shepherd tried to board EU-flagged fishing boats.
The NGO confirmed it is collaborating with the European Commission although a spokesman did not reply to the fishermen’s boarding claims.
Sea Shepherd official Lamya Essemlali said the NGO was patrolling the Mediterranean in search of illegal bluefin tuna fishing operations independently of the EU.
“However, the European Commission did ask us to provide them with any information we could gather during our patrols and we are fully cooperating in that aspect,” Mr Essemlali said.
Last year, Sea Shepherd campaigners clashed with Maltese tuna fishermen carrying a cage full of tuna in a widely publicised incident. The Sea Shepherd vessel rammed into the Maltese cage, freeing some 800 tonnes of tuna worth hundreds of thousands of euros, injuring two Maltese fishermen in the process.
The NGO’s campaign is this year focusing on controlling the Libyan fishing area, which is closed to fishing due to the ongoing unrest in the North African country.
The NGO said any tuna fishing vessel found off the Libyan coast would be operating illegally.
“We will cut their nets, free the fish and document and report their operations to ICCAT and the European Union,” Captain Paul Watson warned.