Beijing says it has zero tolerance for illegal fishing and points to recent actions such as a temporary moratorium on high-seas squid fishing as evidence of its environmental stewardship. But the sheer size of the Chinese fleet and its recent arrival in the Americas has stirred fears that it could exhaust marine stocks. There's also concern that in the absence of effective controls, illegal fishing will soar. The US Coast Guard recently declared that illegal fishing had replaced piracy as its top maritime security threat. But it's surrounded by dozens of Chinese vessels accustomed to operating with little fear of reprisal.

Source: New Zealand Herald September 24, 2021 22:29 UTC