Fishing season is again open in China, and that has local officials worried. If the catch isn’t good there, some Chinese fishermen come here to illegally fish Jeju waters. Joseph Kim reports.
Report
[slug] Chinese vessel caught illegally fishing in Jeju waters in March
Despite the coast guard's warning, a large fishing vessel is swishing away.
After the long pursuit, the coast guard board the fishing vessel.
The vessel was illegally fishing on Jeju waters in March this year.
Chinese fishing vessels show up around the island every year.
[slug] Chinese fishermen come to local waters if catch is poor in China
Whenever the catch of fish in China is poor, Chinese fishing vessels come down to the island to trawl for fish.
[slug] Fishing season again open in China
Especially, the fishing close season in China was lifted on September 1st for purse seine fishing. This adds worry to already growing concerns.
[slug] 46 Chinese vessels caught in 2017, 12 in 2018
46 Chinese vessels were caught for illegal fishing on Jeju waters last year.
Up until now, this year the coast guard caught 12 Chinese vessels.
The coast guard will focus more on the crackdown on illegal fishing as China's fishing close season is lifted for trawler fishing next month.
INTERVIEW Kim Hong-yoon / Jeju Office of Korea Coast Guard It’s yellow corvina season west of Chagwido Island, and we expect Chinese vessels to come for them beginning in mid-September. We're closely monitoring our waters. If we find illegal fishing vessels, we'll dispatch coastal patrol vessels and aircraft to catch them. <인터뷰 :김홍윤/제주지방해양경찰청 경비계장 > "올해는 차귀도 서쪽에 조기어장이 형성돼 9월 중순부터 중국어선들의 조기 입어가 예상됩니다. 이에 해양경찰에서는 중국어선들의 불법 조업 동향을 수시로 파악해 불법 조업 예상시 경비함정과 항공기를 동원한…."
When they are caught by the coast guard, fishing vessels can be released after paying a fine.
[slug] Fine of up to \300m for illegal fishing
The amount of the fine depends on the gravity of the violation. But the maximum fine is only 300 million won.
This is why the Chinese vessels cross the line with little regard.
[Reporter] Joseph Kim [Camera] Ko Moon-su
[slug] Jeju Office of Korea Coast Guard
As local fish stocks are decimated, the economic damage of the island's fishing industry is expected. A crackdown on illegal fishing likely needs to be reinforced.
