The Maritime Police Agency, in collaboration with the Navy and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, has been conducting joint patrols in the waters bordering the West Sea and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off Jeju Island from the 25th to the 31st of last month. ⓒ Provided by the Maritime Police Agency
As the April fishing season approaches, Chinese fishing vessels conducting illegal operations in our waters have been successively detected by the government’s joint crackdown.
The Maritime Police Agency announced on the 2nd that as a result of the joint crackdown on the West Sea border waters and Jeju EEZ from the 25th to the 31st of last month with the Navy and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, five illegal Chinese fishing vessels were captured, and one of them was confiscated.
The maritime police also arrested a Chinese captain on suspicion of violating the Territorial Waters and Contiguous Zone Act, forcibly deported five crew members, and expelled 58 other illegal fishing vessels. They collected a security deposit of 450 million won ($399,450) from the captured vessels.
This crackdown successively detected Chinese crew members who illegally fished by crossing the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea on a small rubber boat and Chinese fishing vessels that reduced the catch.
Chinese fishing vessels secretly crossed the West Sea NLL to fish, but when the maritime police deployed, they closed the iron gate and fled, being pushed back by the joint operation.
This crackdown also detected a Chinese fishing vessel that installed 31 illegal gill nets worth 60 million won ($53,190) in the waters off Jeju.
Gill nets, which have a small net mouth at the end where fish gather, indiscriminately catch young fish and cannot be installed in our EEZ.
After discovering the fishing gear, the maritime police and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries removed 20 of them and plan to collect the remaining gear.
The crackdown mobilized 30 ships from the Maritime Police, Navy, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and three aircraft.
According to the maritime police, on an average day in March, about 300 illegal Chinese fishing vessels operate in our waters. However, during the crackdown, the average daily number significantly decreased to about 140.
The maritime police plan to strengthen the crackdown by deploying additional 500-ton patrol vessels in the West Sea NLL waters.
A maritime police official said, “We will strictly crack down on illegal fishing that devastates marine resources, including anchovies,” and added, “In May, we will share the status of illegal fishing with the respective countries through diplomatic meetings related to fishing and urge the establishment of countermeasures.”
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