BarentsNews.com

Last week, a group of the Russian State Fisheries Committee representatives visited the fishing port of Murmansk, in order to evaluate the work of the port administration.

Apart from general examination, the Moscow officials checked how the government decree No. 1010 was implemented in practice. According to this document, all fish catches landed within the Russian Exclusive Economic Zone must be delivered to Russia’s ports.

However, the governmental decision is often neglected by fishermen. In this connection, as soon as next month, the State Fisheries Committee will consider the penalties to be applied towards the fish-catchers evading the law. About 15 companies from the Murmansk region have already been black-listed. When it comes to the allocation of quotas for 2003, those illegally selling their catches abroad will probably get nothing.