“This represents an important step forwards in the battle against illegal fishing”, says the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, Helga Pedersen, about the communiqué agreed at the meeting of the North Atlantic Fisheries Ministers.

The measures adopted include an agreement to boost the work being carried out in order to prevent vessels involved in illegal fishing activities from gaining access to all types of port and supply services, to prevent opportunities for the sale of fish that has been caught illegally and to extend the black lists of vessels involved in illegal fishing activities in the North Atlantic area. The ministers will generally strengthen the cooperative organisations that exist so that they can take more effective action against illegal fishing activities.

“Another significant step forwards is the fact that it has been agreed that the countries involved will report about the work that has been implemented at our next ministerial meeting in 2007. This is the first time that such a commitment has been introduced to this North Atlantic cooperative venture, and it serves to emphasise that illegal fishing activities are a major, common problem”, says Helga Pedersen.

The North Atlantic Fisheries Ministers’ meeting, which was held on Hurtigruten (the coastal express boat) between Tromsø and Brønnøysund, was attended by the fisheries ministers from Greenland, Iceland, the Faeroe Islands and Norway, the EU’s Fisheries Commissioner and leading officials from Canada and Russia.

•  Communiqué