THE European Union is awarding 20 licences for snow crab fishing near Svalbard in defiance of a ruling by theNorwegian Supreme Court, reports High North News, Bodo, Norway.
The court ruled in February that Norway has the right to refuse EU countries seeking to fish for snow crab in the protected zone around Svalbard.
But news came that the EU will award the crab licences, contrary to the February ruling, said the report. The EU argues that Norway violates the Svalbard Treaty because it discriminates between Norwegian and foreign fishing vessels.
It was the Latvian shipowners SIA North Star that took Norwegian authorities to court after one of its vessels was interrupted during snow crab fishing in the protected zone three years ago.
The vessel then referred to an EU fishing licence, the validity of which has been contested by Norwegian authorities. In East Finnmark Primary Court, the captain and shipowners were fined and values worth NOK1.3 million (US$141,111) were confiscated. The court was later confirmed in the Appeals Court following an appeal from the shipowners.
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