Pedersen’s comments to IntraFish follow a letter she received from eight of Europe’s largest and most influential seafood processors: Young’s Seafood; Espersen; Iglo/Birds Eye; Royal Greenland; Frosta/Copack; Aker Seafoods; Icelandic; Seachill; Pickenpack; and McDonalds.

The group committed themselves to avoid illegally caught cod from the Barents Sea, but said to do so they needed a list of Norwegian lists of vessels fishing illegally updated.

Norway probably has the world’s most comprehensive blacklist of fishing vessels, Pedersen said, adding she's delighted the fish buyers want to use the list in their efforts against IUU fishing.

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