Mokpo Coast Guard: "No Distinction Between Domestic and Foreign Vessels in Maritime Safety"

Violation of No-Operation Zone, Unreported Crew Changes Detected on Ships Jeopardizing Safe Navigation

Mokpo Maritime Police Station (Chief Kim Hae-cheol) is continuously conducting enforcement activities against maritime safety violations such as fishing in prohibited zones and failure to report crew changes on vessels operating and fishing within its jurisdictional waters.

According to Mokpo Maritime Police on the 1st, on the 27th of last month, fishing vessels A (135t, Busan-registered, large pair trawl, 10 crew) and B (135t, Busan-registered, large pair trawl, 10 crew) were caught for safety navigation violations about 39 km southwest off Anmado, Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do.

The inspection team of Mokpo Maritime Police patrol ship (Ship No. 1508) boarded these vessels via a high-speed boat and conducted inspections. They found that both vessels A and B committed four violations including fishing in prohibited zones, failure to operate the Automatic Identification System (AIS), and failure to report crew changes. Additionally, the captain of vessel B was found to have been operating under the influence of alcohol (blood alcohol concentration 0.065%).

Exterior view of Mokpo Maritime Police Station building

On the 28th of last month, Mokpo Maritime Police also caught fishing vessels C (139t, Yeosu-registered, large pair trawl, 12 crew) and D (139t, Yeosu-registered, large pair trawl, 11 crew) about 17 km southwest off Hongdo, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, for safety navigation violations including failure to report crew changes and failure to operate AIS.

According to the police investigation, these vessels operated illegally by moving inside the fishing prohibited zone without operating AIS and repeatedly disobeyed the police’s stop orders (three times) for inspection.

During the subsequent inspection, it was confirmed that despite crew changes, the vessels failed to report them, and notably, the captain of vessel B was found to have operated under the influence of alcohol.

Over the past three years, Mokpo Maritime Police has recorded a total of six enforcement cases (involving 13 people) against large trawlers and large purse seiners for illegal fishing in prohibited zones.

Meanwhile, over the past three years, the most common maritime safety violation detected by Mokpo Maritime Police domestically is failure to report crew changes, totaling 149 cases, followed by failure to carry ship documents and failure to operate AIS.

The Maritime Police considers all violations that threaten safe navigation as factors endangering maritime safety, regardless of severity, and is conducting related prevention and enforcement activities.

Furthermore, with the recent start of the main fishing season, the police are leading efforts to establish fishing order by cracking down on illegal fishing not only by domestic vessels but also by foreign vessels including Chinese fishing boats.

Kim Hae-cheol, Chief of Mokpo Maritime Police Station, stated, “We will continue enforcement activities against illegal acts threatening maritime safety, including safety navigation violations, regardless of whether the vessels are domestic or foreign.”

The Maritime Police plan to punish the four caught vessels, including A and B, under Article 21, Paragraph 1 of the Maritime Security Act, Article 53, Paragraph 1, Item 3 of the Fisheries Vessel Act, and Article 65, Item 1 of the Fisheries Resources Management Act.