17/6/2015

[China Expands Number of Fishing Vessels] - [VOA - Voice of America English News]

06/16/2015

China Expands Number of Fishing Vessels

China is expanding the size of its fishing boat fleet to try to provide enough food for its citizens and to export.
But as the boats travel the world, they are often criticized for overfishing and for having conflicts with ships from
other countries, especially in disputed parts of the South China Sea.
China is the worlds largest producer and exporter of fish. About half of the seafood it produces is exported to
developed countries. It is also the biggest consumer of seafood.
Duncan Ledbetter is the director of Fish Matter, a fisheries and natural resources consulting company. He says
Chinas poor environmental and fishing practices have forced it to search for fish around the world.
"Well, youve got two things happening. One is plain and simple: overfishing. And then the second, which is sort
of widespread, north to south, and from close in shore out to, you know, the edge of the continental shelf. But
then youve also, particularly inshore, got some pretty significant pollution problems and habitat loss problems."
China now has 2,000 fishing boats, more than any other country. In 2013, an European Parliament study
estimated that between 2000 and 2011 Chinese fishermen caught 4.6 million tons of fish every year. It said most
of the fish came from African waters. The rest came from Asia and smaller amounts from Central and South
America and Antarctica.
Peter Jennings is the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. He is also a former senior
official in the Australian Department of Defense. He says Chinas decision to expand where it searches for fish
gives it a chance to increase its influence in areas that are important to its future.
Last month, a Chinese company said it would expand its fishing operations to Antarctica. The announcement
followed the opening of a fourth Chinese research station on Antarctica. China also has two large icebreaker
ships, as well as planes and helicopters on Antarctica.
Tensions between China and other countries have risen because of Chinas increased fishing activities. Last

month, Indonesia destroyed a Chinese boat that it claimed was fishing illegally in Indonesian waters. And South
Korea says the number of Chinese fishing boats operating in its waters is growing every year. More than 1,000
Chinese fishing ships illegally fished in South Korean waters in 2014.
I'm Jonathan Evans.
Shannon Van Sant reported this story from Hong Kong. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for VOA Learning
English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.
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Words in This Story

fleet n. a group of ships or vehicles that move or work together or that are controlled or owned by one company
habitat n. the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows
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