The Finnish Coast Guard seized over 500 kilograms of salmon in the Reposaari area of the western city of Pori in May. The 70-odd fish were not only caught during a seasonal ban on salmon fishing, but also with illegal drift net gear.
Drift nets hang vertically in the water without being anchored to the bottom and are held in place by floats. Fish are trapped when their gills get stuck in the netting. They are so effective at ensnarlng fish that their use is closely monitored and regulated by fisheries management and enforcement agencies the world over.
Seniot lieutenant Jari Nieminen says the perpetrator denied malicious intent in the pre-trial investigation. He will have a harder time denying that he captured the fish, however, as he was apprehended with the 500-kg haul and the illegal gear in his boat.
"He says he had no intention to fish with the gear, he just wanted to try it out to determine if he should buy it for himself. He claims the fish were caught accidentally," Nieminen said.
Finnish salmon in demand
The suspect was convicted for a similar offense in 2009. The pre-trial investigation has not been able to determine whether the fisherman intended to sell his catch or if anyone was set up to buy the fish. Nieminen says there is a large market for illegally-caught fish.
"It’s easy to pass a catch like this off on the market. Even now, we had no problem auctioning off the fish in question. Finnish salmon are valuable and in high demand," he said.
Fishing crimes on the rise
The Border Guard has seized a record number of illegal fish catches already this year, according to Nieminen. He said statistics suggest that reckless fishing in Finland is on the rise.
He added however that most fishermen in the country are honest and benefit from regulation enforcement.
"Our mission is to do our part to preserve the fish stock. We try to keep things on the up-and-up so honest fishermen are not left at a disadvantage."