Aker Seafoods vessels 'Hekktind' and 'Doggi.' (Photo: Stock File/FIS)

Aker Seafoods mulls legal action for vessel suspension

NORWAY
Monday, July 09, 2012, 23:30 (GMT + 9)

Aker Seafoods ASA has received the decisions of the Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs in the cases regarding alleged dumping of catch from the vessels Hekktind (owned by the company‘s subsidiary Nordland Havfiske AS) and Doggi (owned by the company‘s subsidiary Hammerfest Industrifiske AS).

The ministry decided that the vessels must be taken out of active fishing operations for a period of five months for Hekktind and three months for Doggi, in both cases with effect from 1 August 2012.

This is a considerably milder reaction than the initially notified suspension of fishing licenses of 12 months for Hekktind and 6 months for Doggi. However, Aker Seafoods still believes that the suspension imposed lacks justification, and will consider contemplating legal action to have the ministry‘s decisions set aside or to claim compensation.

As far as Hekktind is concerned, the basis for the decision of the ministry will be reviewed initially by the courts in a criminal case against the vessel owning company that will be heard in October this year.

Both vessels have harvested a substantial volume of this year‘s quotas of cod. The consequence of the decision is assumed to be limited, however the final consequence will not be clear until the fishing of this year‘s quotas has come to an end. The decision may result in reduced access to raw material for the on-shore processing plants that are entitled to receive catch form the company‘s vessels.
 

Related article:

- Fisheries withdraws Aker Seafoods' trawler the right to fish

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