BANGKOK: Port of Phuket’s customs officials stated that they have captured, a Kunlun ship recently entered in Phuket’s waters, which declared its cargo to be 182 tones of sea bass. Inspection showed that they were lying, because cargo was full of 182tonnes of Snowfish.
After investigation customs authority found sufficient discrepancies in the paperwork of an alleged poaching ship to hold the vessel, its captain and its crew in Thailand, a Customs official told Phuketwan today customs official said.
Snowfish are a delicacy in parts of Asia and the name is thought to be a regional descriptor for Patagonian toothfish, which the Kunlun is accused of poaching from waters regulated by the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.’ Australian authorities have been in touch and asked us to hold the vessel and its crew,” the official said. ”When the records of the vessel were sought, it was discovered they had all been deleted.”
Since October it has been one of six vessels allegedly involved in a clandestine fish poaching operation across Antarctic waters, triggering pursuit by NZ Navy vessels and the Sea Shepherd organization. In January, the Kunlun was issued with an Interpol Purple Notice for illegally fishing for toothfish. The 656-tonne Kunlun has a Peruvian captain and a crew of 31 Indonesians and four Spaniards.
The Importance of Toothfish/Snowfish could be measured as, it can fetch up to $150 a kilogram in the US and Japan, where their buttery fillets are highly prized by restaurants.
