Liberal Party (V) leader Guri Melby, a member of the Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, says Russian fishing vessels in Norwegian ports surely are a security risk.
“It seems like the Government doesn’t understand the potential threat posed by Russian trawlers in such important NATO area,” she says to the Barents Observer.
“Putin himself has signed the new maritime doctrine outlining that fishing boats are part of the country’s military capacity. That in itself should be enough evidence that the trawlers should not be allowed to call at Norwegian ports,” she states.
It was in July the trawler “Melkart-5” stayed at the KIMEK shipyard in Kirkenes. In accordance with Norwegian regulations, seafarers are allowed onshore without entry or exit checks, but have to stay in a geographical delimitated area decided by the Chief of Police.
Ensuring compliance with the regulation, however, is for the most based on trust and no physical control.
On July 17th, the Russian seamen lowered a small boat and set off to Langfjorden in direction of Strømmen bridge, the only road connecting Kirkenes area with the rest of Norway.
“I can confirm that people belonging to the Russian fishing boat “Melkart-5” er fined for violating shore leave regulations by driving a small boat to Strømmen bridge,” says Chief of Police in Finnmark, Ellen Katrine Hætta.
Norway’s main newspaper covering fisheries, Fiskeribladet, this weekend published a strong message to the Government calling for a ban on Russian boats.
So far in 2022, Russian fishing vessels have landed about 90,000 tons of fish worth 1,5 billion kroner (€150 million) at ports in Norway. That is 415 million kroner (€41 million) more than the same period last year, according to Fiskeribladet.