Border guards have begun an operation code-named Crab-2007 in coastal waters of the Russian Far East for prevention of illegal crab catches and its transportation abroad, Itar-Tass reports. The operation conducted by the regional FSB Border Guard Department will continue until December 15, the public relations department of the FSB Northeast coastal border guard department told Tass on Wednesday.
The operation has been conducted for purposes of ensuring Russia's interests in protection of its water biological resources. The border guards will act in close cooperation with territorial and military security bodies, Customs and police departments. The operation is mostly aimed at prevention and suppression of illegal activities in crab fishing, prevention of illegal crab catches by poacher ships, transportation of live fish out of Russia's exclusive economic zone and prevention of contraband of marine life from Russia to sea ports of countries in the Asian-Pacific region. Border guards of the Russian Northeast territory bear the biggest share of responsibility because the main water areas authorized for crab catches in the Kurils zone, the Sea of Okhotsk and off Kamchatka's western coast are in the zone of their responsibility.