Mokpo Coast Guard Seizes 2 Chinese Fishing Vessels for Unreported Output Changes

Strengthening Inspections and Searches of Foreign Fishing Vessels

Mokpo Maritime Police Station (Chief Kwon Oh-seong) announced on the 6th that at around 2:29 PM on the 5th, they seized two Chinese fishing vessels, Vessel A (212t, twin trawl, 9 crew, main vessel) and Vessel B (212t, twin trawl, 9 crew, auxiliary vessel), which changed engine power without reporting while fishing 57 km southwest of Gageodo, Sinan-gun.

While performing maritime patrol duties in the jurisdictional waters, Mokpo Maritime Police conducted inspections on Chinese fishing vessels engaged in fishing activities. As a result, it was found that the engine power listed on the fishing activity permits of Vessels A and B differed from their actual engine power, violating the "Act on the Exercise of Sovereign Rights Regarding Foreign Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone."

Mokpo Coast Guard is investigating related documents in the wheelhouse of a Chinese fishing vessel. Photo by Mokpo Coast Guard Station

According to the "Fishing Conditions and Entry Procedures for Korean and Chinese Fishing Vessels," if a Chinese fishing vessel authorized to fish changes its engine power, it must submit a change report for the fishing activity permit details to the relevant authorities. Vessels A and B were authorized for an engine power of 632 horsepower on their permits, but their actual engine power was confirmed to be 599 horsepower.

They paid a deposit of 40 million KRW each due to the violation of the restrictions and were released at 11:02 PM on the 5th.

A Mokpo Maritime Police official stated, "To establish orderly fishing practices, we will thoroughly check for any violations of laws and regulations by foreign fishing vessels operating in our waters."