In a reaffirmation of ongoing cooperative efforts, the Russia and U.S. coast guards have finalized and signed an agreement on joint actions dealing with increased vessel traffic and illegal and unreported fishing in the countries’ northern waters.
U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, District 17 commander, and Russian Lt. Gen. Rafael Daerbaev, chief of the Northeast Border Guard of the Coast Guard of the Russian Federal Security Service, singed the document of understanding Wednesday in Juneau.
Since 1995, the two coast guards have been meeting twice a year to discuss cooperative efforts in operations regarding illegal and unreported fishing, ongoing and future operations and law enforcement in the Arctic, Bearing Sea and North Pacific waters of the U.S. and Russia.
