West Sea Coast Guard Agency Conducts 'Comprehensive Crackdown' on Unreported Crew Changes

Increasing Trend Over the Past 3 Years... Strengthening Enforcement on Fishing Vessel Crew Change Reporting

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] The West Sea Regional Coast Guard Agency (Chief Yoon Byung-doo) will conduct crackdowns on fishing vessels that have not reported changes in crew members in the second quarter, following the first quarter of this year.

This is because cases where the registered crew on the fishing vessel entry and exit system do not match the actual number of crew on board continue to increase.

According to the West Sea Coast Guard on the 21st, the number of cases detected for failure to report changes in crew members on fishing vessels in the jurisdiction has been on the rise: 40 cases in 2018, 66 cases in 2019, and 93 cases in 2020.

In particular, 29 cases were detected in the first quarter of this year alone, already reaching about one-third of last year's total detected cases.

Accordingly, the West Sea Coast Guard will conduct a comprehensive crackdown on unreported changes in fishing vessel crew members for the second quarter from the 21st to the 30th of this month.

The target for reporting changes in crew members includes all fishing vessels except management vessels, fisheries guidance vessels, distant-water fishing vessels, and inland water fishing vessels, as stipulated by the Fishing Vessel Safety Operation Act. If there is a change in crew members, the relevant fishing vessel must visit the nearby maritime police substation or branch office to report it.

Under current law, violating the obligation to report changes in crew members results in administrative penalties: a first warning, a 10-day suspension of fishing permits for the second violation, and a 15-day suspension of fishing permits for the third violation.

Jung Young-jin, Head of the Rescue and Safety Division at the West Sea Coast Guard, said, “If the registered crew on the fishing vessel entry and exit system does not match the actual number of crew on board during marine accidents such as vessel collisions or capsizing, confusion can occur at the rescue site.” He added, “To ensure prompt and efficient life-saving operations, we will encourage voluntary reporting of crew changes and strengthen crackdowns.”