On Chinese ‘devil ships,’ illegal fishing and physical violence are normal

euronews.com has posted an interesting article about the topic.

Key points of the content:

According to a new investigation by the Environmental Justice Foundation, China engages in illegal fishing activities all over the world.

Testimonies from over 100 crew members reveal that state subsidies have allowed China’s distant water fleet (CDWF) – vessels operating beyond China’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) – to exploit the waters of developing nations which rely on their marine resources for food security.

“I saw my crewmate get hit until he bled…He did not fight back, he could only cry upstairs,” said one crew member from a Chinese distant water vessel operating in the South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans.

The fleet’s presence in the EEZs of countries in Africa, Asia, and South America, many of which have coastal regions that rely on fishing for their livelihoods and food security, is cause for concern.

The CDWF is frequently associated with illegal fishing, according to data analyzed by the EJF, and researchers gathered numerous quotes from crew members to support their findings.

“If the captain ordered us to pull the dolphins up, we pulled them up…We took its teeth and threw away the body…,” a crew member operating in the North Atlantic told the foundation.

You can read the full report here.

The link to the complete article: 

https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/04/08/illegal-fishing-and-physical-violence-life-aboard-china-s-devil-vessels-revealed-in-new-re