From the data that cited by News24xx.com from Japan New, the number of Chinese boats allegedly illegally fishing for flying squid has been increasing rapidly in Japan’s exclusive economic zone off Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto Peninsula.
Just in the first nine months of this year, 2,586 Chinese fishing boats received warnings from The Fisheries Agenc to leave the Yamatotai area in the Sea of Japan.
Its nearly four times more than a year before.
As information, Yamatotai is known as a plentiful fishing area for flying squid and snow crabs, and is an area in which illegal operations by foreign fishing boats have frequently happened.
In that area, the Japanese fishermen cannot operate in the western part of Yamatotai due to a government request.
But, in October last year, a North Korean fishing boat sank after a collision with a Fisheries Agency patrol ship. And for this year, a few North Korean fishing boats have been found around the area. And also, on Sept. 29, 2020, a North Korean government ship was spotted in the EEZ and prompting the Japanese government to ask Japanese fishermen to refrain from operating there to help ensure their safety.
“Why do we have to refrain from fishing in our territorial waters?” asked a fishery cooperatives official in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan.
Fishery minister Kotaro Nogami on Friday said, “We’ll cooperate with related government agencies, including the Japan Coast Guard” to address the issue.
