Russian Court Fines Captain Of Japanese Schooner Seiko Maru-81 For Illegal Crabbing

By a repeated decision of the Nakhodka city court captain of the Japanese schooner Seiko Maru-81 Hiroyuki Watanaba has been fined 4 million roubles (one US dollar = about 30 roubles) for the damage done to Russia's biological resources, the court's chancellory said on Monday. On September 11, 2001 the Japanese craft was detained by the crew of the Korshun border-guard ship in the exclusive economic zone of Russia. Captain Hiroyuki Watanaba did not have any documents allowing the ship to enter Russia's sea waters and to fish in them. The border guards found more than 6.5 tons of crabs in the holds of the Japanese ship. There were also six traps with 5 tons of crabs in them near the craft. The Japanese schooner is now under arrest at Nakhodka. It will be let go home after the border guards receive the court's ruling.