Russian trawlers are reportedly still able to access an estimated £16million worth of fish in UK-controlled waters thanks to a fishing loophole, despite a ban on Russian vessels over the invasion of Ukraine.
Since Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine over a month ago, the UK has sought to limit Russia’s ability to access funding through sanctions and by blocking Russian-flagged ships access to UK ports and waters.
However, Russian trawlers are said to still allowed access to a stretch of the ocean off the coast of Scotland that is jointly controlled by the UK and Faroe Island Governments.
Since Brexit, foreign-flagged vessels can only fish in British waters if they have been granted a licence by the Government, according to international treaties brokered with other countries.
The UK does not have an agreement with Russia, so Russian fishing boats are usually not permitted to fish in British waters – the Faroe Islands shared water offers them a rare opportunity.
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