He219
08-28-2003, 12:57 PM
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39453000/gif/_39453861_antartic_seas6_416.gif
Toothfish (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3186653.stm) 'pirates' held after chase
A trawler suspected of fishing illegally for the endangered Patagonian Toothfish in the Australian fishing zone off Antarctica is being escorted back to Australia after a three-week chase.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39452000/jpg/_39452603_tooth_300_body.jpghttp://www.customs.gov.au/resources/GUI_images/front%20pic%20boarding.jpg
Armed officers from South Africa and Australia ended the epic chase
International effort
A British ship had joined Australian and South African vessels pursuing the Viarsa, which was first sighted on 7 August in Australia's fishing zone, 4,000 kilometres (2,200 nautical miles) south-west of the mainland.
The Patagonian Toothfish can command huge prices
The Australian patrol boat Southern Supporter gave chase, suspecting the trawler had been fishing illegally.
The Viarsa's captain ignored repeated requests to stop, but the Australians stuck with him, battling through the huge winter seas of the Southern Ocean, at times dodging icebergs.
A week ago, a South African icebreaker joined the chase, followed by the British fisheries protection ship, the Dorada, normally based in the Falkland Islands.
http://a1112.g.akamai.net/7/1112/492/03312000/news.lycos.com/news/ot_getImage.asp?op=img&id=406280
Dead Patagonian Toothfish (aka Chilean Seabass) are pictured aboard a licensed fishing vessel before processing in this undated photo. The fish, whose flesh is known as 'white gold' on a lucrative black market, can be worth up to $23.50 a kilo, can grow to seven feet, weigh over 220 pounds and reaches a mature age at 250 years. The Uruguayan-flagged Viarsa, suspected of poaching the fish in Australia's Antarctic waters, was boarded August 27 2003, after a 20-day high seas chase that covered more than 4,000 nautical miles.
See Australian Customs Service (http://www.customs.gov.au/site/index.cfm?nav_id=670&area_id=5) for more info..
Toothfish (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3186653.stm) 'pirates' held after chase
A trawler suspected of fishing illegally for the endangered Patagonian Toothfish in the Australian fishing zone off Antarctica is being escorted back to Australia after a three-week chase.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39452000/jpg/_39452603_tooth_300_body.jpghttp://www.customs.gov.au/resources/GUI_images/front%20pic%20boarding.jpg
Armed officers from South Africa and Australia ended the epic chase
International effort
A British ship had joined Australian and South African vessels pursuing the Viarsa, which was first sighted on 7 August in Australia's fishing zone, 4,000 kilometres (2,200 nautical miles) south-west of the mainland.
The Patagonian Toothfish can command huge prices
The Australian patrol boat Southern Supporter gave chase, suspecting the trawler had been fishing illegally.
The Viarsa's captain ignored repeated requests to stop, but the Australians stuck with him, battling through the huge winter seas of the Southern Ocean, at times dodging icebergs.
A week ago, a South African icebreaker joined the chase, followed by the British fisheries protection ship, the Dorada, normally based in the Falkland Islands.
http://a1112.g.akamai.net/7/1112/492/03312000/news.lycos.com/news/ot_getImage.asp?op=img&id=406280
Dead Patagonian Toothfish (aka Chilean Seabass) are pictured aboard a licensed fishing vessel before processing in this undated photo. The fish, whose flesh is known as 'white gold' on a lucrative black market, can be worth up to $23.50 a kilo, can grow to seven feet, weigh over 220 pounds and reaches a mature age at 250 years. The Uruguayan-flagged Viarsa, suspected of poaching the fish in Australia's Antarctic waters, was boarded August 27 2003, after a 20-day high seas chase that covered more than 4,000 nautical miles.
See Australian Customs Service (http://www.customs.gov.au/site/index.cfm?nav_id=670&area_id=5) for more info..