Chinese fishing vessels in the East Sea (Photo: sggp.org.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – Excessive fishing has caused fish stocks in the EastSea to plunge 95 percent since 1950, a recent report of the Centre forStrategic and International Studies (CSIS) showed.
Fish catches also suffered a steep decline of 75 percent in the past twodecades.
According to the CSIS, increasing tensions in the EastSea are putting critical habitat at risk.
It said China has spent billions of USD to strengthen its fishing vessel fleet,and in 2018, some 7.2 billion USD was splashed out for Chinese fishermen toensure that they can go on long offshore fishing trips in the waters.
Fierce disputes in the East Sea intensify competition among fishermen, and theresulting scramble for fish inflames the disputes. In the disputed waters, fishermen of China’sneighbouring countries have been driven nearer to their shores, forcing fishprices to increase.
Director of China Ocean Institute Tabitha Mallory has reportedly insisted Chinahas a huge advantage over its neighbours such as the Philippines, as it is ableto dodge certain fishing regulations.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, she revealed one of the thingsChina does is to dodge some of the resrictions that host countries put onforeign fishing vessels by registering its fleet in another country.
She quoted a recent report as saying that up to 1,000 fishing vessels operatingthis way are actually owned by China.
Meanwhile, Professor John McManus from the US University of Miami said fishpopulation in the East Sea has been overexploited and driven to near the redline, while China has been the world’s top fish catcher and one of the world’sbiggest sponsor for offshore fishing vessels./.
VNA
