Unit 2. Breaking the Rules Text 1. The captain of a Russian trawler could face criminal charges

I. Read the text.

Make sure you understand the words below:

to flee (fled)	to run away
to chase	to follow
to hand back	to return
ongoing	continuing
dispute	argument
to state	to say

October 2005

Valery Yarantsev is being investigated on suspicion of illegal fishing and illegal detention, the local Russian prosecutor general's office said.

The trawler, the Elektron, was boarded by the inspectors near Svalbard¹ islands on suspicion of illegal fishing. But instead of heading to Norway as directed, it fled to Russian waters.

It was chased by Norwegian coastguards until it reached Russian territory.

The two inspectors had spent five days on board the trawler before they were handed back to the Norwegian authorities by a Russian rescue ship.

The prosecutor of the northern Murmansk region, where the Elektron returned to, confirmed a criminal case was being opened on the basis of information supplied by Norway.

"According to the Norwegians, a check revealed a number of serious violations", a statement said.

The incident began on 15 October, when the Elektron was fishing in waters claimed by Norway.

The Norwegian authorities claim the Elektron was using illegal fishing equipment which violated quota rules on fishing catches.

The trawler was ordered by the two inspectors to go towards the Norwegian port of Tromso, but unexpectedly changed its course towards Russia.

Although both sides wished to minimize the incident, it has started again an ongoing dispute between Russia and Norway over fishing rights in the Barents Sea.

The conflict appears to have been intensified by an incident with another Russian trawler, the Grigory Arlashkin, which was following the Elektron and trying to prevent Norwegian vessels from seizing it.

The Grigory Arlashkin's captain stated that Norwegian Navy officers threw a net from a helicopter that entangled the Russian ship's propeller, rendering it immobile and forcing the ship to seek help from rescue vessels.

Norwegian military officials denied the allegation, saying that an illumination flare had been dropped over the trawler.

Norway claims sovereignty over the waters where the Elektron was arrested but Russia and other fishing nations disagree. They state Norway has no right to detain foreign vessels in that area even if they are breaking fishing regulations.

Vocabulary

criminal charge	обвинение в совершении преступления, уголовное обвинение
suspicion	подозрение
illegal	незаконный
detention	задержание, арест
prosecutor	прокурор
case	судебное дело
violation	нарушение
statement	заявление
to claim	заявлять о своих правах на что-л.
to violate	нарушать
quota	доля, квота
to entangle	запутывать
to render	приводить в какое-л. состояние
to seek	обращаться (за помощью)
to deny	отрицать; отвергать
allegation	голословное утверждение; заявление
sovereignty	независимость, суверенитет
to detain	задерживать, арестовывать