Illegal Fishing Crackdown

[Anchor Lead]

With blue crab and shrimp catching season in full swing, the South Korean military has intensified its crackdown on illegal Chinese fishing boats. Here’s more in our next report.

[Pkg]

After a two-month closed season, the three-month blue crab and shrimp catching season has begun. But fishermen are more concerned than happy to resume their work. They are worried about Chinese fishing boats that fish illegally in the Hangang River estuary.

[Soundbite] Hyun Sang-rok(Incheon Resident) : "Chinese boats can inflict enormous damage on the locals by catching all the fish. I am very worried."

The South Korean military launched a crackdown on Chinese fishing boats in the Hangang River estuary on September 1st. Chinese fishing boats trespassed the estuary more than 520 times this year alone, prompting the military to form a special squad comprising of officials from the Korea Coast Guard and the United Nations Command. In just eight days two Chinese vessels were apprehended, with 54 being banished. In just one month all of the Chinese boats were completely expelled from the Hangang estuary.

[Soundbite] Kwon Dae-jung(Chief of Crackdown Squad) : "We will take stern measures to block illegal fishing in the Hangang River estuary."

Crackdowns in this area entail the risk of clashes with North Korea because the Hangang estuary is a neutral area that borders the North. The South Korean military says it will make a strong response to any provocation from the North because the crackdowns are in line with the Armistice Agreement.