MOSCOW, January 16 (RIA Novosti) – A Russian fishing vessel detained by Norwegian coast guards earlier this week was released Thursday after its owner paid a fine, officials said.
The Novoazovsk trawler, which belongs to the Arkhangelsk Trawl Fleet company, was intercepted by a patrol boat while fishing in Norway’s exclusive economic zone and escorted to the port of Tromso for investigations.
The crew was accused of illegally dumping fish. According to Russian fishing officials, Norway frequently uses the term as a pretext for detaining Russian trawlers fishing off its coast.
“The vessel is still in Tromso, but will soon resume fishing,” said Russian Fisheries Agency spokesman Sergei Gorbachyov.
The ship’s owner was issued a fine of about $62,000, said a spokesman for the Russian Embassy in Norway.
“Judging by precedents, the fine looks more or less sensible. It could have been much worse,” the diplomat said.
The Russian embassy said the ship was due to leave Tromso at about 8 p.m. Moscow time (1600 GMT).
