IUU Tuna Vessel Stuck With 528 MT Tuna On-Boardff

The situation of the tuna vessel “Sunny Jane” is pending since the boat anchored in Arousa Bay almost five months ago.

The Sunny Jane arrived in June at the Spanish wharf of A Pobra do Caraminal with the intention of unloading its tuna catches for companies located in Barbanza.

However, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery prohibited it to moor in the Port of A Pobra. The General Secretariat of Maritime Fishing informed that the tuna boat was suspected of practicing IUU fisheries -illegal captures unreported and unregulated-, according to a list elaborated by the Commission of Fisheries of the North Western Atlantic. Therefore, the tuna vessel was not allowed to tie up at any port of the European Union.

Although the Sunny Jane received permission from a court to anchor, it was not allowed to unload of the 528 tons of tuna stored on board the vessel and was forced to confinement.

In the meantime, the boat’s refrigeration system had deteriorated and was at risk of a possible health crisis. These facts recently motivated the local fishery authorities to authorize the discharge of the vessel’s 528 tons of tuna.