Feature story - 13 April, 2006
Activists from the Esperanza have climbed on board an illegal cargo vessel full of fish stolen from Guinean waters. Greenpeace and the Environmental Justice Foundation tailed the "Binar 4" for six days, as it sailed from West Africa to dump its pirate catch on the European market.
Activists climb on board the illegal cargo ship "Binar 4" as it awaits entry to the port of Las Palmas.
The team of activists will "police" the vessel in the port of
LasPalmas until Spanish authorities move to confiscate its illegal
cargo.As the "Binar 4" waited to enter port it was branded with the
words"Stolen Fish" - painted five times across both sides of its
hull.
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On April 6th, during an investigation into pirate fishing in
WestAfrica - in which more than 100 vessels were documented - the
crew ofthe Esperanza spotted the "Binar 4" illegally
transshipping(transferring fish from multiple trawlers onto the
cargo ship) fishfrom Guinean waters. The Esperanza trailed the
pirate ship to theSpanish port of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands
where the fish were tobe laundered into the European market
"The Guinean authorities have confirmed this ship broke the law.
Wewill ensure that no further laws are broken before the
authorities inLas Palmas confiscate the stolen fish on board", said
Sarah Duthie,Greenpeace oceans campaigner.
More than 11,000 boxes of fish are on the Binar 4, taken from
one ofthe poorest regions in the world. West Africa is the only
place on theplanet where fish consumption is actually falling. So
far, theauthorities in Las Palmas have refused to authorize the
offloading ofthe illegal catch.
"We are encouraged to see that Spain and Guinea have taken
actionagainst this vessel and we hope that this is the beginning of
a moreeffective cooperation to improve control of pirate fishing
vesselsattempting to enter Las Palmas", said Helene Bours of the
EnvironmentalJustice Foundation.
Illustrating partof the web of legal and illegal fishing activities we observed in WestAfrica - click here for more info on why the"Binar 4" is illegal.
Part of Defending Our
Oceans, Greenpeace and theEnvironmental Justice Foundation have
been carrying out a jointinvestigation in West Africa during which
over 100 vessels weredocumented. The evidence gathered suggests
that almost half the boatsobserved were engaged in, or linked to
illegal fishing activities.
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