Illegal Fishing Roundup V

EJF:  Illegal Fish Due to Arrive in Korea

Africa/Korea – October 10, 2013

EJF documented the Korean-flagged Kum Woong 101 fishing illegally in Sierra Leone’s Inshore Exclusion Zone (IEZ) - an area reserved by law for local fishers using artisanal canoes - on 18 and 19 September. EJF investigators used Satellite Automatic Identification System (S-AIS) technology to identify the 470-tonne Kum Woong 101 fishing within one nautical mile from Sherbro Island, where local communities are heavily reliant on fishing for their food and income.

See also:  Fish from west Africa being illegally shipped to South Korea, say activists

Africa – October 8, 2013 – The Guardian

Satellite technology suggests that a 470-ton fishing vessel is currently transporting illegally caught fish from Sierra Leone to Busan, South Korea's second-largest city, feeding high demand for seafood in Asia.

Indonesia - China Steps into a New Era of Partnership

Indonesia – October 3, 2013 – Antara.co

The Indonesian Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of fishery partnership. The MoU signing was also witnessed by the President Republic of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the President of People's Republic of China Xi Jinping at the Indonesia's State Palace in Jakarta on October 2.

NAFO cites foreign vessels with illegally caught fish

Canada – October 4, 2015 – CBC News

Canadian Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) inspectors have cited a dozen foreign fishing vessels for illegally harvesting 431.7 tonnes of redfish off the east coast of Newfoundland.  Many of the vessels involved have a history of illegal overfishing in waters off Newfoundland and Labrador.

Illegal Chinese fishing in S. Korean waters total 4,600 cases over past decade

South Korea – October 7, 2013 – Global Post

The number of illegal fishing cases by Chinese boats in South Korean waters reached over 4,600 over the past 10 years, the government said Monday.

TPP countries to ban subsidies only when overfishing is feared

Indonesia – October 3, 2013 – The Japan Times

The 12 countries involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade negotiations are now planning to only scrap fishing subsidies that clearly cause overfishing, negotiation sources said Thursday.

Seoul mulls addressing China over illegal fishing incident

South Korea – October 8, 2013 – Yonhap News Agency

 South Korea is considering expressing regret to China over a violent incident in which local coast guard officers were hurt while cracking down on illegal Chinese fishermen, a government official said Tuesday.

American Samoa Senate approves Starkist lease

American Samoa – October 7, 2013 – Radio New Zealand International

American Samoa’s Senate has given its stamp of approval to a new lease between the government and Starkist Samoa.  The new agreement involves a fifty percent increase in land for Starkist’s tuna canning plant in Pago Pago.

Canadian warship makes massive heroin bust on the high seas

Arabian Sea - October 6, 2013 – Canada.com

The Canadian warship HMCS Toronto, on patrol in the Arabian sea, made a huge drug bust on Saturday when it stopped a smuggling vessel carrying 180 kilograms of heroin, according to National Defence.   A kilogram of heroin has an approximate street value of $80,000 to $110,000, according to the RCMP, making the intercepted heroin shipment worth hundreds of millions in lost income for extremist groups.

Heroin seized by Canadian warship linked to terrorist groups: commander

Arabian Sea – October 6, 2013 – CTV News

A commander on board a Canadian warship that seized more than 180 kilograms of heroin says the drug came from suppliers in the Middle East and is linked to terrorist groups.  HMCS Toronto Cmdr. Matthew Bowen said the drugs were destined for recipients in Africa, and would have funded "extremist elements." He said the drugs likely have ties to terrorist organizations with connections to Afghanistan.

Fishing boats detained in South Korea

South Korea – October 9, 2013 –Global Times

The Chinese consulate general in Kwangju Tuesday requested the South Korean side conduct a fair investigation and inform the consulate in a timely manner for the two Chinese fishing boats suspected of illegally fishing in South Korean waters.

Danish seine fishing blocked over conservation issues

Philippines – October 10, 2013 – fis.com

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is to impose a ban on Danish seine fishing, locally called hulbot-hulbot, off the Philippines coasts in an attempt to protect coral reefs and sea grass beds.

Sri Lankan navy rescues 70 suspected illegal migrants on fishing boat stranded off coast

Sri Lanka – October 10, 2013 – Vancouver Desi

Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 70 suspected illegal migrants Friday after a fishing boat they were travelling in was found stranded in international waters off the country’s southern coast.

European Union Official Calls for More Surveillance of Migrant Routes

Belgium – October 8, 2013 – New York Times

A senior European Union official called on Tuesday for vastly expanded patrols of Mediterranean waters, as horror mounted over the deaths of hundreds of African migrants near Sicily last week.

Cops arrest foreign fishermen

Namibia – October 10, 2013 – New Era

Nine foreign nationals, two Angolan and seven Zambians were arrested at Lake Liambezi on Tuesday in a joint security operation spearheaded by the Namibian Police.  The operation at Muyako some 60km east of katima Mulilo also involved officials of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and members of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF), the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, as well as immigration officials.

Tuna players seek creation of permanent body to represent PH in global fisheries

Philippines – October 8, 2013 – Mindanao Development Authority

Key players in the tuna industry call for the creation of the Philippine Committee for the Advancement of Highly Migratory Fisheries, a lobbying arm to promote the country’s interests in global fisheries organizations such as the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).  

Satellite Imagery Busts Maersk Tanker in UK Pollution Case

United Kingdom – October 7, 2013 – gcaptain.com

At a hearing today at Truro Magistrates Court in the UK, Maersk Tankers Singapore was ordered to pay a total of £22,500 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to a breach of UK maritime pollution legislation. For the first time ever, satellite imagery was used as primary evidence in a maritime pollution case brought about by the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

EU-Mauritania deal agreed

EU – October 10, 2013 – worldfishing.net

The European Parliament has voted in favour of the Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU and Mauritania.

China, Indonesia to cooperate on ocean conservation

Indonesia – October 10, 2013 – Business Standard

China and APEC host Indonesia have signed an agreement to work together on marine conservation and ocean monitoring. They have called on other members to join in as part of the push for sustainable development, an official said here Tuesday.

Japan seeks WTO intervention on Korea's import ban on Japanese fish

Japan – October 10, 2013 – seafoodnews.com

The Japanese government has requested the World Trade Organization (WTO) to intervene into the case of the Korean government's import ban on fish caught in waters near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power which had been disabled in 2011, according to an official of Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) on October 8.

Robert Nunez bicycle boats venture into protected area in Cocos Island

Costa Rica – October 7, 2013 – nacion.com

Five fishing boats owned by a company of the recently crowned world champion cycling on Route Masters in Italy, Robert Nunez, have entered several times in the protected area of Cocos Island.

'Significant' improvement in Thai child labour issue

Thailand – October 6, 2013 – The Nation

The U.S. says Thailand's labour situation has improved since the government has been seriously tackling the child labour issue, the Thai Foreign Ministry website said yesterday. This improvement would help maintain the custom privilege of "Generalised System of Preferences" between Thailand and the US, thus benefiting Thai operators, creating jobs in Thailand and boosting Thai exports, the ministry said.

Murkowski urges Commerce to issue Bering Sea crab licenses on time

United States – October 10, 2013 – Undercurrentnews.com

US Senator Lisa Murkowski, along with house representatives Don Young and Doc Hastings, urged the secretary to direct NOAA to immediately issue quotas for Alaska’s king crab fishery to ensure the fishery opens at its scheduled date of October 15.  Meanwhile, fishermen have crews waiting in Dutch Harbor to begin the season, which represents half the yearly income for many Bering Sea crabbers.  They will not be allowed to fish if licenses do not go out.

Call for balance between traditional and industrial fishing

India – October 11, 2013 – The New India Express

The recently concluded international conference on ‘Ecosystem Conservation, Climate Change and Sustainable Development (ECOCASD 2013)’ has called for a balance between traditional and industrial fishing to achieve sustainability of fish harvest in the era of climate change.

Sustainable tourism vital for growth of island nations

Pacific Islands – October 9, 2010 – Pacific Islands News Association

Sustainable tourism will be a key driver of growth for many island nations in the Pacific even as fears of climate change and possible aid cuts grow, says the head of the Pacific's largest scientific and technical organisation.

Rapporteur round-up: EU-Pacific fisheries strategy

EU – October 10, 2013 – theparliament.com

Key rapporteurs on parliament's report on a comprehensive EU fishery strategy in the Pacific region Carmen Fraga Estévez, Gesine Meissner, Maurice Ponga and Ulrike Rodust, offer their opinions on the outcome of parliament's plenary vote.

Officers find giant illegal fishing net off Oahu

United States – October 8, 2013 – Star Advertiser

State conservation officers continue to monitor waters off Oahu for large illegal fishing nets after several were confiscated in Kaneohe Bay this summer.

Nigeria, US, UK begin joint military training on counterterrorism

Nigeria – October 7, 2013 – Nigerian Tribune

The military, in conjunction with special forces from the UK, US, Spain and the Netherlands have begun a joint training to enhance its capacity to combat terrorism in the county’s maritime environment.

Sunken Tender Neptune Closes Haines Harbor

United States – October 5, 2013 – Alaska Public Media

The state and Coast Guard are responding to a sunken vessel in the Haines Harbor and fuel leaking from the boat is hampering the commercial gillnet fleet that homeports in the harbor.

33 nabbed for illegal fishing off Bantayan Island

Philippines – October 9, 2013 – Inquirer News

A TASK force under the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) arrested 33 fishermen after they were allegedly caught fishing in prohibited areas in the waters off Bantayan Island, northern Cebu last Monday.

Ducks overboard! What happens to goods lost at sea?

Worldwide – October 9, 2013 – CNN.com

On a stormy January night in 1992, out in the Pacific Ocean, 29,000 plastic yellow ducks, blue turtles and green frogs fell from a cargo ship and were lost at sea.  For the past 21 years, these durable plastic bath toys have been floating around the world, passing the site where the Titanic sank, landing in Japan, Alaska and Hawaii and even spending years frozen in an Arctic ice pack.

New study reveals why jellyfish are such efficient swimmers (w/ Video)

United States – October 8, 2013 – Phys.org

A team of researchers in the U.S. has found that jellyfish are extremely efficient swimmers. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team reports using a technique called particle image velocimetry to measure the secondary thrust jellyfish use to increase their energy efficiency when swimming.