Cook Islands: Spanish Tuna Boats Arouse Suspicionff

According to Cook Islands Herald the Suspicions are being aroused that big Spanish tuna fishing boats operating from French Polynesia are illegally fishing in neighboring Cook Islands waters.

The newspaper reports that Cook Islands Tuna Fishing Association president Tapi Taio is raising concerns after a visit to French Polynesia.

Taio told the newspaper he saw two Spanish boats offloading broadbill in Papeete. Each had what he estimated to be about 200 tons of broadbill, the Herald says.

Taio said local Cook Islands fishing boats are currently catching broadbill in the country’s southern waters. But they are only going out about 60 miles. He is worried about what is happening to the broadbill now in the rest of the southern Cook Islands exclusive economic zone, the Herald says.

Taio told Cook Islands Police about his concerns, although their maritime surveillance patrol boat is not yet back from a refit in Australia.

Taio said 12 Spanish boats are amongst foreign boats operating from French Polynesia. This is also hurting the local Tahitian fishing industry, he told the Cook Islands Herald.