The South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO) has placed a vessel owned by a China Fishery Group subsidiary on its 2015 Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing list.
The list, released today, includes the Damanzaihao, which China Fishery Group confirmed in a statement is operated by its Pacific Andes subsidiary based in Peru.
According to the list, the SPRFMO is accusing the vessel’s operators of “Prolonged presence in the SPRFMO area without authorization and providing support to five authorized Peruvian trawlers, according to evidence provided by Chile and Peru.”
In a statement, Pacific Andes spokesman Geoff Walsh said the company was “disappointed” with the inclusion of the Damanzaihao on the list, and noted the vessel is not even used to catch fish, only to provide food, water and fuel to other vessels, all of which are authorized to operate in the same area.
“We believe that inclusion on the IUU list is out of proportion with the minor nature of the allegation against the vessel,” Walsh wrote. “At the same time, we respect the decision of the commission.”
