Descriptions:
A 74-year-old fisherman has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Fisheries Act for failing to report the amount of bluefin tuna he caught weighing more than 10 tons and unloaded at a port in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture. The man, a 74-year-old fisherman from Kesennuma, has been referred to prosecutors. According to the Kesennuma Coast Guard Station, the man is suspected of catching and unloading bluefin tuna off the coasts of Aomori and Miyagi Prefectures between August last year and May this year, but failed to report the catch amounts to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. As a captain, the man worked with several crew members to catch a total of 10.1 tons of bluefin tuna on 22 occasions. Bluefin tuna fishing quotas are set for each country for resource management purposes, and reporting of catches is required under the Fisheries Act. Around August last year, the Kesennuma Coast Guard launched an investigation after receiving an anonymous tip that fishermen were selling bluefin tuna through irregular channels. The man admitted to most of the charges.