A crab fishermen’s group in the U.S. state of Alaska is praising a new agreement between the United States and Russia to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The two countries signed the bilateral agreement at the 26th U.S.-Russia Intergovernmental Consultative Committee on Fisheries meeting. The Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers, in a statement, said the new agreement will allow both nations to cooperate more, and make it easier for U.S. customs agents to detect IUU crab shipments coming into the United States.
“For far too many years the Alaskan crab industry has faced stiff market competition from illegally harvested Russian king crab,” said Edward Poulsen, the group’s president. “We welcome this historic agreement and are hopeful that it will result in meaningful action being taken to halt this illegal activity.”
According to the group, IUU fishing has cost the Alaskan crab industry an estimated USD 600 million since 2000, and even more in lost tax revenue to Alaska’s coastal communities.
