There is no fish': The Russian vessels raising spy fears in Europe

Two Russian-linked fishing companies, Norebo JSC and Murman Sea Food, were added to the EU’s blacklist in May 2025 over alleged participation in a Russia-state surveillance campaign. The accusation is not about fishing activity, but about espionage missions and sabotage targeting critical infrastructure, including undersea cables. Norway later imposed sanctions, with Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide warning the firms’ operations could enable future sabotage. Norebo JSC denies the allegations. In May 2026, European Fisheries and Oceans Commissioner Costas Kadis said Russia uses trawlers for intelligence gathering, raising “security concerns,” and experts describe more vessels acting as civilian fishing covers.