Hundreds of Chinese Fishing Boats Sweep Squid in North Korean Waters... Violation of UN Sanctions

Over 900 Vessels in 2017 and Over 700 Vessels in 2018 Operated in North Korean Waters
Squid Caught by Illegal Fishing Estimated at Approximately $440 Million (5.253 Billion KRW)

Graphic source: Global Fishing Watch

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] A recent investigation revealed that hundreds of Chinese fishing vessels are illegally harvesting squid in the waters off North Korea every year. Since foreign fishing activities are prohibited within North Korean waters, this constitutes a violation of UN sanctions.

On the 23rd, the British daily newspaper The Guardian cited a paper released the previous day by the international nonprofit organization Global Fishing Watch (GFW), reporting that hundreds of Chinese vessels conduct illegal fishing in North Korean waters annually. As a result, North Korean fishermen are forced to avoid these areas by taking unsafe boats far out to sea, risking their lives to fish.

GFW, after analyzing various satellite data, pointed out that approximately 900 Chinese vessels in 2017 and 700 vessels in 2018 engaged in illegal fishing to catch squid in North Korean waters.

The squid caught by these vessels is estimated to exceed 160,000 tons, with a market value of approximately $440 million (5.253 billion KRW). The Chinese fishing vessels involved in illegal fishing are part of a "black fleet" that turns off their vessel location tracking devices, making visual detection difficult. However, by combining four satellite technologies?Automatic Identification System (AIS), radar imagery, nighttime imaging, and high-resolution optical imagery?GFW was able to identify the true nature of the black fleet. GFW noted that squid catches in Korean and Japanese waters have decreased by 80% and 82%, respectively, since 2003, attributing much of the decline to illegal fishing by the black fleets.

Park Jae-yoon, a senior data analyst at GFW and co-author of the paper, stated, "The scale of the black fleet operating in North Korean waters accounts for about one-third of China's distant-water fishing vessels," adding, "This is the largest case of a country's vessels illegally fishing in another country's waters." He explained, "This investigation shows that illegal fishing by Chinese vessels is very systematically organized."

GFW regards the illegal fishing by the Chinese black fleet in North Korean waters as a clear violation of UN sanctions. The UN Security Council resolution adopted in 2017 in response to North Korea's ballistic missile tests prohibits foreign fishing activities within North Korean waters. This is because North Korea could earn foreign currency by allowing foreign fishing activities.

The illegal fishing by the Chinese black fleet forces North Korean vessels to fish farther out at sea to avoid them. Facing food shortages and the need to increase their catch, North Korean fishermen often use small, dangerous boats to venture into distant waters, frequently putting themselves at risk, explained the GFW research team. The recent report by Japanese media that about 600 North Korean "ghost ships" were found along the Japanese coast over the past five years is likely related to this situation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.