Strong Crackdown on Illegal Fishing by Chinese Vessels... First Joint Patrol by Korea-China Coast Guard in the West Sea

The Coast Guard is cracking down on Chinese fishing vessels that have collectively intruded into our waters in the West Sea.
[Photo by Korea Coast Guard]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] The Korea Coast Guard has started the first 'joint patrol' with the China Coast Guard to identify and crack down on illegal fishing activities within the West Sea Provisional Measures Zone.

The joint patrol, which began on the 3rd and will continue for five days until the 9th, targets the West Sea Provisional Measures Zone, jointly managed by South Korea and China under the Korea-China Fisheries Agreement. This zone covers the waters from southwest of Daecheongdo Island to west of Ieodo, south of Jeju Island.

The Korean Coast Guard deployed a 3,000-ton patrol vessel from the West Sea Regional Coast Guard, while the China Coast Guard dispatched a 5,000-ton vessel from the North Sea Branch for the joint patrol.

Through this patrol, both countries aim to monitor the status of illegal fishing and collective incursions by Chinese fishing vessels and to guide and crack down on illegal fishing boats.

Since late September, the Korean Coast Guard has been conducting strong crackdowns on Chinese fishing vessels that are widely and systematically intruding in groups from south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea specific area to Taean, Chungnam Province.

Recently, the number of Chinese fishing vessels collectively intruding into Korean waters in the West Sea has reached about 340 vessels per day, an increase of approximately 240% compared to about 100 vessels per day last year. The Coast Guard operated mobile task forces three times last month alone, expelling a total of 7,196 vessels (including those in the East Sea).

A Coast Guard official stated, "We are strengthening crackdowns to prevent illegal fishing in advance while also striving for diplomatic communication and response." He added, "We will continue to enhance international cooperation with countries such as China to protect our fishery resources and safeguard maritime sovereignty."

Meanwhile, the Korea-China joint patrol in the Provisional Measures Zone has been conducted twice a year by the Korea Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the China Coast Guard eight times until last year, following the decision of the Korea-China Fisheries Joint Committee in 2015.

This year, at China's request, the Korean Coast Guard participated in the joint patrol for the first time.

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