Canadians Spot 25+ Illegal Driftnet Boats In N. Pacific - Reuters

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Canadian air patrols in the North Pacific in September found more than two dozen boats likely involved in illegal driftnet fishing, officials said on Friday.

Canadian aircraft normally search the international waters in late spring and had been finding few of the boats in recent years. They decided to switch some of the patrols to September based on tips from commercial fishermen. The long-range patrol aircraft spotted at least 25 boats that were equipped with driftnet gear, 12 of which had their nets in the water, during about 10 days of patrols in September, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Similar patrols in June spotted two boats equipped to conduct high seas driftnet fishing, which was banned by the United Nations in the early 1990s because of the environmental damage it causes. "The (ship sightings) are definitely higher than they have been in past years, and it's a direct reflection of information we have received," said Shelly Joslin, a Fisheries officer in Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

Canadian aircraft patrol the North Pacific for several weeks each year under a joint enforcement program with United States, Russia, South Korea, China and Japan.

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http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/38333/story.htm