South Korea and China will launch this week their first joint crackdown on illegal fishing in their shared waters, the South Korean government said Monday.
The week-long joint inspection will begin Tuesday in a joint fishing zone in the Yellow Sea, involving a patrol boat from each country, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
"Penalties alone have limits in curbing illegal fishing by Chinese ships, which requires a greater awareness from the Chinese side, as well as joint efforts by the countries' governments," said Yang Dong-yeop, the official in charge of the ministry's guidance and negotiation division.
He said Seoul will seek joint crackdown at least two or three times next year.
A ministry report said over 2,000 Chinese fishing boats are believed to operate illegally in the shared fishing zones while up to 300 Chinese ships illegally enter South Korea's territorial waters on a daily basis during catching seasons.
In 2012 alone, 467 Chinese fishing boats were seized while fishing illegally in South Korean waters.
South Korea's own efforts to curb such illegal activities have often ended in violence, creating diplomatic tension between the two countries. In 2011, a South Korean coast guard officer was killed by Chinese fishermen during a raid in South Korean waters.
In October, the captain of a Chinese fishing boat was killed during a similar raid.
Under their annual fishery agreement for next year, South Korea and China have agreed to jointly set up and operate check points where the countries' fish carriers will be inspected for any illegal activities, such as catching over the set quota.
Seoul has said it will boost the number of patrol ships from the current 34 to 50 and use unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance against illegal fishing. (Yonhap)
