The photo was taken on the quay in Kirkenes on March 24 this year. Box upon box is loaded on board the aging blue liner. Although the Russian vessel is banned from fishing in Norwegian waters, it constantly visits the harbor in Finnmark. “Kotoyarvi” has visited the harbor in Kirkenes seven times since January 2021. Their case in Norway this time is loading goods, according to the report to the Norwegian port authorities. It has not been registered that they have delivered fish in Norway in recent years. RUSTEN 53-YEAR-OLD: Previously, “Kotoyarvi” sailed under the flag of Belize, with hidden ownership in the Virgin Islands. “Pirate ship” After Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Norway has joined a number of sanctions against Russia. The sanctions do not apply to fishing. In 2020, Russian boats delivered fish worth NOK 1.6 billion in Norway. The reason for the blacklisting is therefore not sanctions. The shipping company that owns “Kotoyarvi”, Persey, is headquartered in Murmansk. It has not responded to news’s inquiries. Previously, «Kotoyarvi» engaged in illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean. Therefore, the Directorate of Fisheries put the vessel on its blacklist in October 2000. They have been there ever since. Greenpeace branded “Kotoyarvi” a “pirate ship”, after the South African Coast Guard and Greenpeace revealed that the vessel was fishing without a license. IMPORTANT PORT: Russian fishing vessels often call at Kirkenes. Only a few deliver fish. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news Pallet on pallet Kirkenes is just over a mile from the Russian border. The ties the city has to the neighboring country to the east are close, especially in fishing. In March, “Kotoyarvi” came straight from Murmansk after a long period on a Russian fishing ground. As news’s photographer arrived at the quay, a pallet hung in the air from a crane. The logo on the boxes was from the Norwegian seafood company Coast Seafood, which is based on Måløy. The group had sales of NOK 4.7 billion in 2020. The manager and part owner of Coast Seafood is Sverre Søraa. He first denies that they trade with Russian shipping companies: – In any case, Coast does not sell to either Russia or Belarus, so the boxes must have ended up there in some other way. LOADING IN KIRKENES: At Hurtigrutekaia in Kirkenes on 24 March. Cartons with the logo of Coast Seafood AS are loaded on board the vessel «Kotoyarvi». Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news When news sends pictures from the quay to the Coast boss, he sends a new e-mail: – What is most likely in the boxes are small mackerel that is used as bait by line boats, among other things. This was delivered from us to Domstein last autumn, Søraa writes to news. UNKNOWN 1: Sverre Søraa is the manager of Coast Seafood AS. He was unaware that some of their raw materials end up in Russia. Photo: news Admits trade with Russians In fresh seafood, Domstein is one of the largest Norwegian suppliers. In 2020, Domstein Fish and Domstein Sefood had a turnover of NOK 951 million. – I am not aware until now that the boat is blacklisted, writes Gunnar Domstein, who is chairman of the company, in an e-mail to news. After checking with a Russian shipping agent how it is connected, Domstein confirmed that “Kotoyarvi” has bought bait from them. Domstein informs news that the bait is stored at the Church Terminal. And that the terminal assists with the delivery of the goods when they order it. The church terminal is a cold store for seafood on the quay just outside the city center. It is owned by Norsk Råfisklag and Icelandic Eimskip, two key players in fishing. UNKNOWN 2: Gunnar Domstein, chairman of the board of Domstein AS, was not aware that Kotoyarvi is blacklisted. – I do not disregard the fact that it will have consequences for Domstein’s relationship with this shipping company, Domstein writes that the vessel is blacklisted. Gunnar Domstein owns a third of the company and has a personal fortune of NOK 10 million. A few days after news got in touch, Coast boss Søraa stops selling bait to blacklisted “Kotoyarvi”. In an e-mail, he writes: – For us, it is completely unacceptable that our products are resold to vessels that are on the Directorate of Fisheries’ blacklist, even if such sales are not illegal. We will contact all our customers to make sure this does not happen. Råfisklaget: – Not okay news asks Norges Råfisklag if it is okay that the terminal they are part owners of, assists trade with a blacklisted vessel. The raw fish layer is the fishermen’s own sales layer. They have several important national tasks within resource control and sales of seafood. – Instinctively, Råfisklaget does not think it is okay for vessels that are on the Directorate of Fisheries’ list of vessels that operate or have engaged in illegal fishing, to buy services in Norway. This is what Svein Ove Haugland, general manager of Råfisklaget, writes in an e-mail. OWNERS: Norges Råfisklag owns 42.8 percent of Kirkenesterminalen, through a subsidiary. Svein Ove Haugland is the head of Råfisklaget. Photo: Norges Råfisklag Haugland has contacted Kirkenesterminalen to get information about the assessments that have been made. – It will be natural that the board of Kirkenesterminalen, where we are represented, takes a discussion of this question, writes Haugland. The church terminal’s general manager, Øyvind Andersen, confirms to news that the matter will be a topic at the next board meeting. Andersen writes that the terminal has not done anything illegal. Do not want dialogue Ship agent Jarus helps Kotoyarvi with practical tasks in Norway. It is owned by two Russians living in Kirkenes. TAUSE JARUS: An employee of the shipping agent Jarus AS arrives at the port when news films the loading. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news Several times news has tried to contact Jarus to ask questions about “Kotoyarvi” and the shipping company Persy. Finally, we get Sergey Ivanovich Shemetev, who is the general manager and owner of Jarus AS. We ask for the e-mail address of the shipping company Persey: – I will not give it to you. – Why not? – They will not talk to you. I have been in contact with them and they do not want any dialogue with you, Shemetev answers. – Why can we not get the email addresses? – No, you do not hear what I say. They do not want you to make contact. Before news is asked new questions, Shemetev breaks off the conversation. Rejection after rejection By December 2021, the Russian fisheries authorities in Murmansk applied for a license on behalf of “Kotoyarvi”. On the contrary, the shipping company Persy was refused by the Directorate of Fisheries. FISHERIES IN RUSSIA: After delivering fish in Murmansk, “Kotoyarvi” went straight to Kirkenes, before the trip went to the Russian fishing grounds. They chose to take a big detour to get bait. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news The vessel has also been denied a license by the directorate in 2003, 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2020. The latest refusal states: “The vessel” Kotoyarvi “is listed on the” Norwegian blacklist “of vessels that have operated illegally , unreported and unregulated fishing in international waters … (..) … Against this background, the Directorate of Fisheries has decided to refuse “Kotoyarvi” permission to fish in the Norwegian economic zone. ” FROM THE PIRATE DAYS: The vessel was called “Rita” and was for several years known for illegal fishing off South Africa. Here they refuse to take South African inspectors on board. Photo: “Draining the Seas” All vessels over a certain size must report the purpose by docking in Norwegian ports. The purpose of the trips this year should have been to pick up provisions and load. That is what Kotoyarvi has informed the Norwegian Coastal Administration. news never gets an answer as to what kind of provisions they have collected. There are usually allocation letters issued by the Customs, but not in this case. Taken aback by the Coast Guard The shipping company Persey also owns “Dolgoshchely”, which has been caught illegally by the Norwegian Coast Guard. It was in 2015 that the vessel was caught on the peach by the Coast Guard. They engaged in illegal discarding of fish, and were fined NOK 1.2 million. The facts were never protested. The Coast Guard’s aircraft filmed drafts of fish, and the catch books were used as evidence. DUMPING FISH: The Coast Guard’s plane Orion films that the vessel dumped fish. Analysis of the catch books proved systematic dumping over days, so-called “high-grading”. Photo: The Coast Guard The Directorate could deprive them of their license. It is very rare for foreign vessels to lose their license to fish in Norway. The last time this happened was in 2012. Most recently in June this year, “Dolgoshchely” was in the Norwegian zone and fished. Hi! Do you have input for us? Do you know more about this case or other matters in the fishing industry news should investigate? Feel free to contact us by e-mail, telephone or encrypted via SignalFredrik Kampevoll: +47 41 767 111Line Plots: +47 971 50 094
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Norwegian millionaires trade with blacklisted Russians – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
