Cook Islands, Feb. 10 -- Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) has undertaken an investigation on an incident involving a Cook Islands flagged bunker vessel that provided a fish factory vessel on a list of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing vessels.
Director of Offshore Fisheries Tim Costelloe says the ministry was notified in December by the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) that the bunker vessel had breached SPRFMO regulations. He says the Cook Islands has been working closely with SPRFMO to resolve the issue, as one of its 15 member countries.
The bunker vessel, Hai Soon 26 - an oil tanker that refuels other vessels at sea - is one of only six of the Singaporean Hai Soon company's large flee...