Jeju Coast Guard Seizes Chinese Fishing Vessel for Unauthorized Illegal Fishing near Chagwido Island

Published 09 Jan.2024 14:43(KST)

At around 2:22 PM on the 8th, a Chinese fishing vessel engaged in unauthorized illegal fishing was seized by the Jeju Coast Guard approximately 124 km southwest of Chagwido, Jeju City.

The Jeju Maritime Police Agency announced on the 9th that they apprehended the Chinese fishing vessel A, which was fishing in the waters despite the prohibition of gillnet fishing, on charges of violating the Act on the Exercise of Sovereign Rights for Foreign Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone, and escorted it to Jeju Port.

At around 2:22 PM on the 8th, a Chinese fishing vessel engaged in unauthorized illegal fishing was seized by the Jeju Coast Guard approximately 124 km southwest of Chagwido, Jeju City.
[Photo by Jeju Coast Guard]

At around 11:40 AM the previous day, while a 3,000-ton patrol vessel was conducting maritime patrol about 113 km southwest of Chagwido, Jeju City (approximately 26 km inside the eastern boundary of the Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone), the coast guard discovered the Chinese fishing vessel A (231 tons, gillnet, 10 crew members) and immediately conducted an inspection using a high-speed boat from the maritime special operations team.

Upon inspection, it was confirmed that vessel A had caught a total of 915 kg of hairtail and other fish until the maritime special operations team boarded the vessel the previous day. The vessel admitted to illegal fishing about 12 km inside the boundary line and was seized on charges of fishing without permission in a permitted fishing zone. It was escorted to Jeju Port at 12:17 AM on the same day for detailed investigation.

A Jeju Coast Guard official stated, “This is the second time in two days that an illegal fishing vessel has been seized,” adding, “We will strongly respond to eradicate illegal fishing in the waters by strengthening inspections using satellites and other methods.”