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The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), together with other local and Mainland law enforcement agencies, recently mounted a series of joint operations against illegal fishing activities in Hong Kong and Mainland waters.
In the operations, three trawlers and a fishing vessel were found suspected of being involved in illegal trawling activities and in breach of the terms of the Certificate of Registration of Local Fishing Vessel respectively.
An AFCD spokesman said today (October 11), "Six joint operations by the AFCD and the Marine Police have been conducted since mid-September, mainly to patrol the remote waters of Hong Kong during night-time and the early morning. Intelligence shows the occurrence of illegal fishing activities in these waters from time to time."
The three trawlers were found operating off Cheung Chau and Tau Lo Chau. Fishing gear with an estimated value of $30,000 seized by AFCD officers on board one of the trawlers is being detained pending further investigations.
Two Mainland fishing vessels, which were not fishing, were instructed to leave Hong Kong waters by the Marine Police near Yuen Kok, Lamma Island.
In addition, the AFCD, the Marine Police and the Guangdong Provincial Marine and Fisheries Inspection Bureau conducted a 24-hour joint operation commencing yesterday (October 10) to enhance co-operation and exchanges on combating illegal fishing activities. The operation ended this morning.
The AFCD and the Marine Police deployed 10 vessels and 21 launches respectively to carry out enforcement actions within Hong Kong waters while the Guangdong Provincial Marine and Fisheries Inspection Bureau deployed 15 vessels to take parallel action in Mainland waters.
In the operation, officers of the AFCD and the Marine Police inspected 67 fishing vessels in Hong Kong waters. Among them, a fishing vessel was found suspected to be in breach of the terms of the Certificate of Registration of Local Fishing Vessel while four Mainland vessels intercepted were handed over to the Guangdong Provincial Marine and Fisheries Inspection Bureau.
The Guangdong Provincial Marine and Fisheries Inspection Bureau inspected 117 fishing vessels in Mainland waters and 35 of the vessels were reported to have violated the Mainland regulations.
The spokesman stressed, "The Government is committed to cracking down on illegal fishing activities. The AFCD will maintain close liaison with relevant law enforcement departments and carry out joint enforcement operations as necessary.
"Based on intelligence, we will continue to conduct targeted patrols and enforcement to combat illegal trawling activities and curb the unauthorised entry of fishing vessels from outside the territory for illegal fishing."
The ban on trawling came into force on December 31, 2012. Any person who contravenes the ban is liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for six months under the Fisheries Protection Ordinance (Cap 171).
Ends/Friday, October 11, 2013
Issued at HKT 19:54
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