Oceana has said that the inclusion of factory vessel ''Damanzaihao'' - formerly and most commonly known as ''Lafayette'' - on the list of fishing vessels engaged IUU fishing activities is a great step forward.

For the first time since it was created in 2006, the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO) drafted a list of IUU vessels, which includes Peruvian-flagged Lafayette and the Russian-flagged Aurora. Both vessels, as stated by the technical organisation, will remain in the list until monetary sanctions are materialised, which should be enforced by the states of Peru and Russia.

“Lafayette is a flagship of ocean depredation at the global level. The fact that its operations are now subject to an effective ban is a great step forward. We must continue strengthening organisations like the SPRFMO to guarantee the sustainability of cross-border fishing resources”, said Alex Muñoz, executive director at Oceana.

The company Pacific Andes International Holding built the vessel in 2008 with an investment of over US$1 billion, transforming an old oil tanker into the world’s largest fishing vessel. The vessel is on the IUU list for “Prolonged presence in the SPRFMO Area without authorisation and providing support to five authorised Peruvian trawlers according to evidence provided by Chile and Peru.”

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