Chinese boats are suspected of illegally fishing for squid in waters off North Korea, researchers from Japan and other nations have discovered.
A total of at least 1,600 boats may have engaged in this activity in 2017 and 2018. The Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency and other research institutes in the United States, South Korea and Australia will publish a report in the electronic edition of the U.S. magazine Science Advances in the near future.
The team analyzed the location and routes of fishing boats in waters around North Korea, based on satellite data. The number of fishing boats believed to be registered as Chinese that were bound for North Korean waters exceeded 900 in 2017 and 700 in 2018.
Judging from the length of their stay and the use of fishing lights, they are believed to have been fishing for Japanese flying squid. Over a two-year period, their catch is estimated to be 160,000 tons, worth 440 million dollars, equivalent to the combined catches of Japan and South Korea.
A panel of experts from the North Korea Sanctions Committee, which monitors the implementation of sanctions against North Korea at the U.N. Security Council, has found that North Korea has evaded sanctions by selling its fishing rights to Chinese fishermen.
The report said North Korea may have violated the resolution on the sanctions.
The team also confirmed that fishing boats believed to be registered as North Korean were operating in waters around Russia. North Korean fishing boats have been illegally operating in Yamatotai, a rich fishing area in Japan's exclusive economic zone, which is believed to have resulted in poor catches by Japanese fishermen of Japanese flying squid.
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