Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Seizes 4 Illegal Chinese Fishing Vessels

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] Taking advantage of the reduced onboard inspections due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), four Chinese fishing vessels conducting illegal fishing in Korean waters were seized.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on the 20th that it had seized four Chinese fishing vessels suspected of violating regulations related to entry into Korean waters.

Chinese fishing vessels entering Korean waters must comply with fishing conditions such as net mesh size, accurate recording of catch amounts, and fishing logs according to relevant laws and bilateral agreements. The Chinese vessels seized by the Ministry are suspected of using nets with mesh sizes smaller than the regulation, illegally capturing juvenile fish and other marine products, underreporting the amount of catch, and falsifying fishing logs.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Ministry is detaining and investigating the seized Chinese vessels at sea. If illegal fishing charges are confirmed, penalties such as fines will be imposed according to relevant laws, and approximately 39 tons of illegal fishing gear and catch will be confiscated and destroyed.

Im Taeho, Director of the Ministry’s Guidance and Negotiation Division, said, "We have refrained from onboard inspections considering quarantine measures due to COVID-19, but this has been exploited, showing signs of an increase in illegal fishing by Chinese vessels. We will do our best to protect our marine resources by strengthening onboard inspections under thorough quarantine measures."

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