二○○二年二月，俄羅斯籍漁船維加號(Volga)因未經合法授權，在澳洲專屬經濟區水域非法捕魚，遭澳洲皇家海軍逮捕。同年十二月，國際海洋法法庭(International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, ITLOS)判決澳洲在接受保證書或財務擔保後，應立即釋放維加號。本案爭點在於澳洲國內法所訂定的漁船釋放之財務保證及其他規範是否已違反聯合國海洋法公約(Convention on the Law of the Sea, LOSC)第七十三條迅速釋放之規定。判決中確認沿海國在設定釋放被扣押外國漁船的財務條件是受到限制的，而不採取廣義解釋「合理的保證書或其他財務擔保」一詞，方有澳洲在同年十月首度表達有修正第七十三條之必要。而國際漁業法律的發展將隨之引發大規模的逐件式的外交努力而通過或重新起草條文，非對現存法律做出新的司法詮釋。

 

 

On 23 Dec. 2002, the International Tribunal for the law of the Sea (ITLOS) ordered the prompt release of the Russian fishing vessel Volga upon the posting of a bond or other security. The Royal Australian Navy arrested the Volga for allegedly fishing without authorization in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on 7 Feb. 2002. The issue in the ITLOS proceedings was the financial security and other requirements, which Australia set as the conditions for release of the vessel, breached Australian obligation under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) to allow the prompt release of detained vessels upon the posting of a reasonable bond or other security. Thus, the Volga Case confirms that coastal states are limited to setting financial conditions for the release of detained fishing vessels. ITLOS’s reluctance to adopt an expansive interpretation of the expression ‘reasonable bond or other security’ may add to the case that Australia first articulated in Oct. 2002 that there is a need to modify art 73 to take into account the increase in IUU fishing and modern fisheries

management and law enforcement exigencies. Therefore, the development of international fisheries law is likely to continue to take place largely by piecemeal diplomatic efforts to adopt or redraft treaties rather than by the appearance of new judicial interpretations of existing laws.

 

關鍵詞：違法、未報告及不受規範的捕魚行為、迅速釋放程序、權宜船籍、

保證書、財務擔保

 

Keywords: IUU Fishing、Prompt Release Procedure、Flag State of Convenience、Bond、Security