GREENPEACE today called for the arrest of the captain of the Japanese ship Koyu Maru 3, which Greenpeace caught fishing illegally in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Cook Islands.

"The Koyu Maru 3 and other pirate fishing vessels are stealing fish for their own profit, depriving the people of the Cook Islands of a vital source of income," said Josua Turaganivalu, Oceans Campaigner of Greenpeace Australia Pacific on board the Esperanza.

"These pirates of the Pacific must be stopped from plundering ocean life and robbing local communities."

The Greenpeace ship Esperanza, campaigning to end the destruction of the world's oceans, encountered the Koyu Maru 3 hauling in its longline and catching tuna within Cook Islands waters, where they have no license to fish (1).

Greenpeace provided the Cook Islands Ministry of Marine Resources and the Fisheries Agency of Japan with photographic evidence of the illegal activity.

Greenpeace demands the Japanese government order Koyu Maru 3, which is owned by Tokyo-based World Tuna Co Ltd, to stop its illegal fishing activities and sailto the nearest port for further investigation.

Globally, more than US $9 billion dollars is lost each year to pirate fishing fleets. Pirate fishers, who reap their profits in European, American and Asian markets, are threatening fish stocks as well as depriving Pacific communities of much-needed income. A recent report estimated that pirate fishing in the Pacific accounted for an average of 36% of its total fisheries, much higher than the global average of 19% (2).

"The government of Japan must show leadership in tackling illegal fishing by its vessels in the Pacific. Japan must also take the lead among major fishing nations and support efforts by Pacific countries to reduce fishing activities in the region by half and close all four pockets of international waters to fishing to allow tuna stocks to recover," added Wakao Hanaoka, Oceans Campaigner of Greenpeace Japan.

Long-liners like the Koyu Maru 3 mainly target bigeye, yellowfin and albacore tuna, destined for sashimi markets in Japan and other countries where this food has become popular. Scientists have warned that some Pacific tuna stocks, such as bigeye and yellowfin tuna, are being fished beyond their limits. Greenpeace, 09?10?09.