Fishing Vessel El Shaddai Bears the Brunt of Blurred Licensing Conditions

A grey area in licensing conditions appears to have been exposed in the Braxton Shipping El Shaddai case but nobody is willing to make a call. An investigation has taken place. The El Shaddai had all the necessary permits to fish both in the EEZ and in the High Seas. And the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) accepted it has erred and has corrected measures to ensure compliance with the relevant CCAMLR and other RFMO conservation and management measures. This doesn’t appear to be enough to satisfy some countries which appear to be holding the Flag State to ransom, and apparently some others believe the El Shaddai is guilty too.