West Sea Coast Guard Agency, Special Crackdown on Illegal Modification and Reconstruction of Fishing Boats

Intensive Crackdown on Illegally Modified Fishing Boats Directly Threatening Public Safety

The West Sea Regional Coast Guard Agency (Chief Kim Inchang) announced that it will conduct a special crackdown on illegal modifications and expansions of fishing vessels from the 7th of this month to the 6th of next month to prevent maritime accidents caused by loss of stability.

Exterior view of the West Sea Regional Coast Guard Headquarters building

To prevent fishing vessel accidents directly related to the lives of the public, the agency plans to focus on cracking down on unauthorized construction and modification of fishing vessels related to loss of stability, uninspected vessels, and illegal expansions or modifications after inspections, thereby ensuring the safety of fishing vessels operating along the southwestern coast.

From February to May, the West Sea Coast Guard apprehended 31 fishing vessels around Buan, Jeonbuk, that had illegally expanded upper structures and installed LPG gas tanks; from April to June, 5 vessels around Yeosu and Goheung, Jeonnam, that had expanded upper structures; and in August, 10 vessels around Mokpo and Jindo, Jeonnam, that had arbitrarily installed crew quarters inside trap storage racks.

This year, a total of 61 vessels were caught for illegal modifications and expansions within the West Sea Coast Guard jurisdiction, compared to 44 vessels last year and 80 vessels in 2021, averaging 62 cases annually. The agency plans to intensify crackdowns on illegal fishing vessel activities to prevent safety negligence.

A representative from the West Sea Coast Guard Investigation Division stated, “Illegal expansions and modifications of fishing vessels adversely affect stability and cause maritime safety accidents such as capsizing, so we will thoroughly crack down to eradicate these practices.”

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