"No Illegal Fishing!"... Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City to Conduct Joint Crackdown Throughout October

[Financial News Jeonnam-Gwangju—Hwang Tae-jong, Reporter] "No illegal fishing!"
 Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City (Gwangju Metropolitan City) will conduct a joint crackdown on illegal fishing throughout October to protect fisheries resources and establish order in the fishing industry during the autumn peak fishing season. The joint crackdown will be carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF), cities and counties, and the Korea Coast Guard (KCG).
 According to Gwangju Metropolitan City on the 6th, autumn is when fishing activity by vessels becomes more active and the installation of laver-farming facilities gets fully underway.
 Accordingly, the city decided to conduct a joint crackdown on illegal fishing together with the MOF and cities and counties. It deployed 17 fisheries patrol vessels to waters at high risk of illegal fishing to focus on acts that disrupt order in the fishing industry, including △illegal fishing by unlicensed vessels △installation of unlicensed aquaculture facilities △entry into prohibited fishing zones △illegal capture of juvenile fish and △use of modified fishing gear.
 Jeon Chang-woo, head of Gwangju Metropolitan City's Eco-friendly Fisheries Division, said, "Unlicensed laver farming harms fishers who make a lawful living and threatens maritime order and safety. Together with the cities and counties and the KCG, we will eradicate illegal aquaculture facilities, establish order in the fishing industry, and protect the foundation for a sustainable fisheries industry."
 Gwangju Metropolitan City also plans to strengthen cooperation with the KCG, deploy patrol boats in waters at risk of illegal fishing, and crack down on the installation of illegal aquaculture facilities through joint responses by local governments and the KCG.
 In addition, it plans to operate a response system under which fisheries patrol vessels are immediately notified when vessels suspected of illegal fishing are identified by the coastal Vessel Traffic Service (VTS).

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