Artificial fishing banks to be placed near inter-Korean border

By Park Sae-jin Posted : July 4, 2016, 13:50 Updated : July 4, 2016, 13:50

[Courtesy of Finance Ministry]


Some 80 large artificial fish reefs will be placed in waters near the inter-Korean sea boundary to reduce illegal operations by Chinese fishermen that have caused diplomatic and security concerns along the Yellow Sea border between the two Koreas.

The project to build artificial fishing banks weighing more than 30 tons each was approved at a cabinet meeting Monday, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said, adding such facilities would be effective in preventing the depletion of marine resources and also curbing dragnet trawlers.

Illegal fishing near the inter-Korean maritime border has been a threat to South Korean fishermen because Chinese vessels deplete marine resources by catching the tiniest of fish. Curbing illegal fishing has not been easy, however, as Chinese vessels move through loopholes along the sea boundary in cat-and-mouse operations.

China is trying to urge its fishermen to stop illegal fishing in waters of neighboring countries, but they continue to poach as fish stocks at home are depleted.

The National Intelligence Agency, Seoul's spy agency, said last Friday that North Korea, hit by a shortage of foreign currencies under tightened international sanctions, had sold a fishing license for 30 million US dollars this year, allowing some 1,500 Chinese fishing boats to operate in its territorial waters.

Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com

 
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