According to the official statement, the ship under the Turkish flag was engaged in illegal fishing of tuna (more than 3.5 tons) off the coast of Rizokarpaso (Dipkarpaz).
Representatives of the Lapitos-Karavas-Vasily fishermen’s union said that Turkish fishing vessels quite often penetrate waters of the island and practice illegal fishing with large circular nets.
Illegal fishing significantly reduces tuna population in the Mediterranean Sea. While international laws set to protect Atlantic tuna, prescribe the allocation of a certain fishery quota for each country with the Mediterranean coastline.
