ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A new bill introduced this week by Sen. Mark Begich and Rep. Don Young fires a shot across the bow of pirate fishing, giving federal authorities several options to dispose of foreign vessels seized for that offense -- including sinking them in live-fire training exercises.
If passed, the Pirate Fishing Vessel Disposal Act would also let the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Coast Guard hand over foreign vessels seized during illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing to other governments to be used in fisheries enforcement. Seized vessels could also be given to other government or non-profit agencies for training, education or research.
A fourth option would allow such vessels to be scrapped and recycled.
The new legislation comes in the wake of the Coast Guard’s September seizure of the Bangun Perkasa, a vessel conducting illegal fishing 2,600 southwest of Kodiak. In an October press release Begich called for the vessel to be sunk by gunfire, but it was ultimately turned over to NOAA while its Asian crew of 22 were deported to their home countries.
New Bill Would Allow Seized Pirate Fishing Vessels To Be Sunk
In a Thursday statement on the bill, Begich and Young both say the possibility of seized vessels being sunk -- rather than potentially being auctioned to other would-be pirates -- would have a deterrent effect on IUU fishing.
“Pirate fishermen use illegal fishing techniques that could devastate Alaska fisheries. We will not allow them to destroy the livelihoods of honest hard-working fishermen,” Begich said. “We want pirate fishermen to know that, if they fish illegally, their boat will be blown up, used for law enforcement, or turned into scrap metal.”
“Even though it’s the 21st century, pirates are still a threat to our way of life,” Young said. “By illegally fishing, pirates are hurting our economy by stealing our resources, mainly our fish. With this legislation, we are letting these thieves know that their ships will be blown into oblivion if they try and steal our fish.”
Before seized vessels were sunk the bill would require them to be cleaned and decontaminated, using existing environmental trust funds if necessary, and stripped of all fishing gear and potential marine debris. The vessels could be sunk in U.S. waters more than 50 miles offshore and at least one mile deep.
