Seogwipo Coast Guard Seizes 3 Chinese Fishing Vessels Violating Restrictions near Udo

Published 10 Apr.2023 16:43(KST)

Seogwipo Maritime Police Station (Chief Yoon Tae-yeon) apprehended three Chinese fishing vessels, including vessel A (single trawl net, 218t, Onryeong-registered, 9 crew members), on the afternoon of the 9th around 5 PM, 89 km southeast of Udo, for violating restricted conditions.

Seogwipo Maritime Police Station seized three Chinese fishing vessels, including vessel A, on the 9th for violating restrictions 89 km southeast of Udo.
[Photo by Seogwipo Maritime Police]

According to Seogwipo Maritime Police on the 10th, at around noon the previous day, while performing maritime patrol duties on vessel 5002, three Chinese fishing vessels suspected of illegal fishing, including vessel A, were detected on radar. Two teams from the maritime special maneuver unit boarded the vessels by small boat and conducted inspections.

Subsequently, after comparing the entry and exit records and routes of vessels A and the other two, it was confirmed that although they were required to notify the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of Korea when moving inside and outside the fisheries agreement line (entry and exit notification), they failed to notify a total of 18 times since March 17, 2023 (vessels B and C failed to notify 14 times since March 18).

Accordingly, under Article 10 and Article 17, Clause 2 of the Economic Waters Fisheries Sovereignty Act, vessels A and the other two were apprehended on site for violating restricted conditions.

Seogwipo Maritime Police received written admissions of the violations from the captains of vessels A and the others, imposed a total bond of 120 million KRW (40 million KRW each), and confirmed payment on the morning of the previous day. They plan to release the vessels under the direction of Jeju District Prosecutors' Office.

Meanwhile, following an apprehension of unauthorized vessels in January, Seogwipo Maritime Police have apprehended a total of four foreign fishing vessels engaged in illegal fishing this year.