Gyeonggi-do Intensifies Crackdown on Illegal Fishing

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province will conduct crackdowns on illegal fishing until the end of October to protect fishery resources during the autumn growth season.

The crackdown targets 870 inland water fishing vessels within the province. Eight cities and counties, including Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, Paju, and Yeoju, will participate. The target areas include the Namhan and Bukhan Rivers, Imjin River, Hantan River, and Pyeongtaek Lake.

The main targets of the crackdown are ▲ unauthorized and unreported fishing activities ▲ fishing using explosives and electric currents ▲ fishing activities using boats equipped with engines (such as fishing and harvesting aquatic plants and animals).

Special focus will be placed on enforcing size limits to prohibit catching undersized young fish of species whose populations have recently sharply declined, such as sogari (Korean perch), chamge (freshwater crab), and baemjangeo (eel).

Considering the covert nature of illegal fishing, the province will mainly conduct night patrols during evenings and early mornings, and illegal fishing gear will be immediately removed.

If caught, offenders will face penalties under fisheries-related laws, including imprisonment of up to two years or fines up to 20 million KRW, as well as administrative sanctions such as fines up to 5 million KRW.

Kim Seong-gon, head of the Marine Fisheries Division of the province, said, "Autumn is an important season for protecting fishery resources as shellfish and fish spawned in spring grow actively. We will do our best to establish lawful fishing practices and eradicate illegal activities through intensive joint crackdowns."

Meanwhile, the province previously conducted intensive crackdowns on illegal fishing during the spring spawning and closed seasons, uncovering a total of 27 cases including unauthorized fishing, which were subject to judicial and administrative actions.

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