43 km of illegal fishing nets removed from Chinese fishing boats in NLL waters… Released 7,000 kg of catch

(Incheon = Yonhap News) Reporter Kang Jong-gu = The Coast Guard and related authorities' project to remove illegal fishing nets from Chinese fishing boats in waters near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea was found to have achieved results in the first month of the project.

According to the West Sea 5th Province Special Guard Group (West Special Unit) of the Central Regional Coast Guard on the 13th, the Coast Guard began a project to remove illegal fishing nets from Chinese fishing boats in waters near the NLL last month in collaboration with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Korea Fisheries Resources Corporation, and the Korea Fishing Village Fisheries Aviation Corps.

As a result of the illegal fishing net removal operation, over 4,000 fish traps and 43 km long fishing nets were removed last month alone, and 7,000 kg of illegal catches, including blue crabs (equivalent to approximately 100 million won), were released into the local area.

The West Special Investigation Team identified the location of the fishing nets of illegal Chinese fishing boats and shared the work period and work methods with the relevant authorities, and work vessels belonging to the Korea Fisheries Resources Corporation and the Fishing Village Fisheries Aviation Corps removed the illegal fishing nets under the close safety management of the Coast Guard patrol vessel.

The West Special Task Force plans to conduct two additional fishing net removal operations by November to block Chinese fishing boats' will to fish and protect our fishing resources.

We also plan to consider ways to expand the business next year based on the results of business operations from September to November of this year.

Last August, the government announced comprehensive measures against Chinese fishing boats in the NLL and is strengthening crackdowns.

The Coast Guard is also responding strongly, capturing 13 Chinese fishing boats in NLL waters as of this day, far exceeding the total of 4 last year.

Baek Jong-soo, head of the Special Investigation Unit, emphasized, "As the fishing behavior of illegal foreign fishing boats becomes more sophisticated day by day, we will not only implement strong direct crackdowns such as arrest and eviction, but also remove illegal fishing nets through collaboration with related organizations to block the will of foreign fishing boats to engage in illegal fishing at the source."