South Korean fishermen in Ulleng Island want an agreement with North Korea to solve the problem caused by Chinese fishermen in the East Sea, the Gyungbuk Daily reported on February 10.
Since North Korea and China launched a contract in 2010 allowing Chinese fishermen access to North Korean waters, several hundred Chinese fishing vessels have been catching squid in the East Sea Eun-deok fisheries. These vessels work with nets in order to catch as many squid as possible, which is prohibited in South Korea as it sweeps up all the squid, including very young ones.
As squid move from north to south in the East Sea, the Chinese vessels have swept away most of the squid before it reaches Ulleng Island. Fishermen around Ulleng are only able to catch about 10 percent of the squid they caught 10 years ago, according to the Gyungbuk Daily.
Sometimes, the Chinese vessels from North Korea come near Ulleng Island, damaging fishermen’s facilities and scientific equipment under the sea. The used oil they throw away also is causing environmental problems around the island, Kim Sung Ryeol of the Ulleng County Office told NK News.
As the contract between North Korea and China expired in 2014, Ulleng fishermen are arguing for the South to reach an agreement with the North, rather than Chinese fishing companies. Lawmaker Park Myung Jae, representing the region, is preparing to propose a law in support of Ulleng fishermen.
If Ulleng fishermen could operate in North Korean Eun Deok fisheries, it is possible to fundamentally prevent Chinese vessels’ illegal operations and conserve squid in the East Sea, Park’s aide, Yang Tae Soo said.
We are considering using the inter-Korean economic cooperation fund to get the entrance rights to fishing grounds in North Korea, via the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives or Fisheries Association. As with the case of the Kaesong Complex, we expect support from the government, considering the special relationship between South and North.
However, this agreement is technically impossible under the May 24 Measures enacted in 2010, which restrict all inter-Korean trade except the Kaesong Industrial Complex.
Currently, this kind of agreement would be a breach of the measure, Jung Hyun Jung of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries told NK News.
Nevertheless, as we are definitely acknowledging the hardship of Ulleung fishermen, this is one of our priorities that we are discussing with the Ministry of Unification, and the possibility of this agreement is open. However, the practical negotiation is not underway due to the severance of dialogue between the South and North Jung added.
2015, NK News