MOSCOW. Jan 14 (Interfax) - A Russian fishing vessel, the Novoazovsk, has been detained in the Norwegian Sea.
The ship has been stopped by a Norwegian patrol boat and the captain has been charged with illegally dumping dead and dying fish into the sea in violation of the rules of fishing in the Norwegian economic zone, the Russian fishery agency Rosrybolovstvo reported.
The captain of the Russian fishing vessel claimed that the ship was detained after "some fish were washed overboard through a damaged protective grid."
The Novoazovsk is on its way to the port of Tromso for an inquiry, escorted by a Norwegian patrol boat.
The ship is not damaged and the 45-member crew is feeling well.
It was not the first detention of this kind, Rosrybolovstvo spokesman Alexander Savelyev told Interfax.
"We must look into this incident to understand what actually happened," he said. "The ship owner normally offers a pledge for the detained ship and the case moves into Norwegian courts," he added.
Russia wins such disputes as a rule, Savelyev noted.
The Novoazovsk is registered at the port of Murmansk and is owned by the Arkhangelsk Trawler Fleet.
It was built in 1976. It is 70 meters long and 13 meters wide, and has a water displacement of 2,500 tonnes.