"A diplomatic row has erupted over the illegal detention of one of Ukraine's scientists, who has been accused by the Kremlin of undermining Russia's industrial trawling for krill in Antarctica. Leonid Pshenichnov, 70, a Ukrainian biologist who is an expert on Antarctica, has a decades-long record of scientific research and contributions to conservation, including support for marine protected areas in the region."
"A translation of the document describes the scientist as a citizen of the Russian Federation who defected to the enemy's side by assisting Ukraine's delegation to the Antarctic conference, which has been organised by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) in Hobart, Tasmania. It accuses Pshenichnov of using his research to undermine Russia's fishing of krill in Antarctica by encouraging, via a Ukrainian proposal, the restriction of krill harvesting. Such proposals would harm the economic interests of Russia,"
Leonid Pshenichnov, a 70-year-old Ukrainian biologist and Antarctic expert, was arrested in Russian-occupied Crimea while preparing to travel to Australia for a conference on protecting Antarctic marine life. Russian authorities accuse him of high treason, alleging in a document given to his lawyers that he is a Russian citizen who defected by assisting Ukraine's delegation to the CCAMLR conference. The document accuses him of using his research to undermine Russia's krill fishing by promoting a Ukrainian proposal to restrict krill harvesting, which it claims would harm Russia's economic interests. CCAMLR, founded in 1982 with 27 members, is considering an MPA around the Antarctic Peninsula. China and Russia have long blocked such MPAs and face accusations of coordinating to ease fishing restrictions.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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