China cracks down on foreign fishing trawlers breaking moratorium

China has identified and expelled hundreds of foreign fishing trawlers discovered operating in its territorial waters during the annual fishing moratorium, officials said on Monday.

Liu Dejun, a law enforcement official with the China Coast Guard, said that his administration had responded to 799 such violations during the summer moratorium, marking an 18 percent decrease compared to the previous year. He explained that initial attempts were made to verbally notify the individuals to leave the sea areas before resorting to stricter actions against noncompliant vessels.

Liu said that the administration conducted inspections on 46 noncompliant vessels, detaining and investigating 10, with criminal cases filed against nine of them. "Coercive measures have been taken against the individuals involved, and investigations are ongoing," Liu said.

China has consistently maintained a zero-tolerance policy toward illegal fishing during these moratoriums, which typically begin on May 1 across its extensive sea territories and end between mid-August and mid-September, varying by specific sea regions.

Liu Xinzhong, the head of the agricultural ministry's fisheries administration bureau, highlighted the decline in marine fisheries resources since the 1950s.

He emphasized the importance of moratoriums and fish release initiatives aimed at replenishing marine fish populations and reversing the decline caused by global consumption and intensified fishing practices.

Liu Xinzhong mentioned that authorities had aimed to limit the annual catch in nearshore waters to below 10 million tons and maintain the fleet size of medium- and large-sized fishing trawlers below 50,000.

He noted that the ban had begun to yield positive results, with a more diverse range of fish species being caught in nearshore waters following this year's ban.

In recent years, China has collaborated with neighboring countries such as the Republic of Korea, Vietnam, and Russia to restore fishing stocks and promote sustainable fishing practices in the region, officials disclosed.

The Ministry of Public Security reported that public security authorities in 11 coastal provinces resolved 474 cases, apprehended 1,639 criminal suspects, and confiscated 1,767.6 metric tons of unlawfully caught fish.

Wang Ge, an official with the ministry's security administration bureau, said that these efforts have maintained order during the fishing ban and supported the marine economy.

"The fishing ban is a crucial strategic initiative that not only benefits the current generation but also holds promise for the prosperity of future generations," he said.