Minister of Fisheries promises action against fish smugglers

Fisking.Photo. Gorm Kallestad / NTB scanpix

Fish smuggling from Norwegian waters has been at a record high so far this year. Fisheries Minister, Per Sandberg of Fremskrittspartiet (Frp), has  promised that the smugglers will be arrested.

 

‘I can guarantee here and now that I will immediately consult with the Minister for Justice, and the Finance Minister, so that we’ll have more resources. Not only for control at the border, but also control along our coast,’  Sandberg
told NRK news.

Up until July, the Customs Office has seized approximately nine tonnes of finished, filleted fish, divided between 87 seizures. This is twice the volume as at the same time in 2016.

‘Assuming that approximately 30% of the fish are finished and ready for sale, that’s nearly 30 tonnes of whole fish that have been smuggled so far this year,’ said Tom Olsen, chief executive officer in Northern Norway (Nord-Norge), to NRK.

The fishing quota is a maximum limit of 15 kilos (33 lbs) of fish or fish products from tan individuals own fishing, permitted to be taken out of the country. If the value of the fish exceeds 5,000 kroner, it must be declared to the customs office before crossing the border.

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today