Mokpo Coast Guard Seizes Chinese Fishing Vessels for Violating Economic Zone Fisheries Sovereignty Act

Five Vessels Detained for Falsifying Catch Amounts

A large number of Chinese fishing vessels have been caught by the Coast Guard for violating the Economic Zone Fisheries Sovereignty Act, including underreporting and inadequate recording of their catch within Korea's Exclusive Economic Zone.

The Mokpo Coast Guard Station (Chief Chae Sujun) announced on May 14 that, on May 12, they seized five Chinese fishing vessels, including vessel A (148 tons, drift net, 10 crew members), for falsifying their actual catch and recording a reduced amount in their logbooks, as well as hiding the catch in secret fish holds. The vessels were apprehended in waters 61 kilometers northwest of Gageodo, Sinan County, South Jeolla Province.

Chinese fishing vessel hiding catch in secret fish hold by falsifying catch volume. Photo by Mokpo Coast Guard Station

Vessel A is suspected of deploying four drift nets (approximately 11 kilometers in total length) in waters 85 kilometers northwest of Gageodo on May 10, and catching 512 kilograms of miscellaneous fish including mackerel on May 11, but recording only 15 kilograms in the fishing logbook and hiding the catch in a secret fish hold.

Additionally, vessel B (149 tons, drift net, 10 crew members), which was apprehended on the same day, is accused of illegally modifying the capacity of its fish hold at a shipyard in China without the required notification, and operating without reporting the changes. The vessel is alleged to have caught a total of 1,670 kilograms of miscellaneous fish including mackerel over 26 occasions within Korea's Exclusive Economic Zone.

The Coast Guard also seized three additional Chinese fishing vessels for violating the Economic Zone Fisheries Sovereignty Act by inadequately recording their fishing logs, bringing the total number of vessels apprehended that day to five.

The Mokpo Coast Guard plans to conduct on-site investigations into all five vessels, including vessel A, and will impose security deposits.

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