Mokpo Coast Guard Arrests Chinese Fishing Vessel Violating Restrictions

Missing Ship Registration Certificate 83km Southwest of Gageodo

Mokpo Maritime Police Station (Chief Kwon Oh-seong) seized Chinese fishing vessel A (98t, purse seine, 12 crew) on the afternoon of the 24th at around 5:46 PM near the sea 83 km southwest of Gageodo, Sinan-gun, on suspicion of conducting fishing activities without carrying a ship nationality certificate.

According to the maritime police on the 25th, vessel A entered the Republic of Korea's exclusive economic zone at around 4 PM on the 19th and engaged in fishing activities without a ship nationality certificate, capturing a total of 5,200 kg of yellow croaker over five occasions until the 24th near the sea southwest of Gageodo, Sinan-gun.

Mokpo Coast Guard seized a Chinese fishing vessel that operated without a ship nationality certificate on the 24th. Photo by Mokpo Coast Guard Station

Vessel A, which violated the restrictions under the "Act on the Exercise of Sovereign Rights on Foreign Fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone" (abbreviated as the Economic Zone Fisheries Sovereignty Act), paid a bond of 30 million KRW and was released at around 11:35 PM on the same day.

A Mokpo maritime police official stated, "Since the resumption of fishing permits for Chinese vessels from September, we will thoroughly carry out patrol duties to prevent foreign fishing vessels from illegally operating in our waters."

Meanwhile, Mokpo maritime police conducted inspections and searches on six foreign fishing vessels engaged in illegal fishing over the weekend, including the seizure of a Chinese fishing vessel on the 23rd for not carrying a fishing permit, putting full effort into protecting fishery resources and safeguarding maritime sovereignty.