Illegal Chinese Fishing Boats Destroying South Korea’s Blue Crab Population

The LA Times has a good article on how the illegal Chinese fishing boats are not only destroying the local economy of South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island, but also destroying the entire ecosystem that supports the blue crab population:

The Chinese vessels have been driven to the South Korean fishing grounds by declining stocks in their home waters. The result has been a dramatic drop-off in blue crab catches, leading local fishermen to fear for their futures.  (……….)

Park said the fishermen are working longer hours and coming home with less. “Pretty soon, there will be nothing left,” said Park, 56, dressed in a salt-stained black tracksuit and chain-smoking cigarettes.  (………..)

Park worries that the Chinese boats are doing permanent damage to the ecosystem he relies on, saying they use a method called bull trawling, which is illegal in South Korea. Bull trawling entails dredging up everything in the ship’s path and damages the seabed. “They take everything,” Park said. “Even the babies.”  [LA Times]

You can read the rest of the article at the link, but it is clear the ROK authorities need to do more to stop these illegal Chinese fishing boats.  I am also wonder where are the Green Peace and Sea Shepherd activists at?  Illegal Chinese fishing boats destroying an entire ecosystem seems like something they would be protesting.