A Chinese government agency has warned its citizens overseas about poaching high-value seafood species in the waters of foreign countries.
China’s State Council Overseas Affairs Office issued a public warning in response to media reports in several countries of Chinese citizens fishing without licenses for crustaceans and fish.
“In many countries, there are relevant regulations for catching and selling crabs, abalone, lobsters, and other seafood. If you are not careful, you may cross the legal red line and be fined or prosecuted,” the notification said.
The document specifically mentions a recent case where four Chinese “got into trouble” for fishing for clams, mussels, and squid on a beach in Pontevedra in Spain’s northern region of Galicia. Four Chinese individuals fled the scene after being encountered by local fishery officers, according to La Voz de Galicia.
In South Africa earlier this year, two Chinese nationals were found guilty of poaching ZAR 6.5 million (USD 369,000, EUR 332,000) worth of abalone, for which they received prison sentences and fines, according to IOL.
Additionally, in Italy, Chinese poachers in the Lazio region were found in possession of suitcases of fish and 150 kilograms of freshwater blue crab, Corriere del Ticino reported. They face a fine of up to EUR 50,000 (USD 55,600).
Permits must be sought from the Italian ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, warns the statement, which also provides details of how to get fishing licenses in Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa, among other countries.
The document makes particular reference to the requirements to obtain a fishing license for abalone in South Africa.
“South African abalone is internationally renowned for its large size and high quality, but due to large-scale poaching and smuggling activities, its number has sharply decreased and it is on the verge of extinction and has been included in South Africa's ‘banned fishing order’ list,” the document said.
The State Council is equivalent to China's cabinet. Its Overseas Chinese Affairs Office also known as the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the Chinese Communist Party. The UFWD has become a controversial presence in several Western countries, where it’s been accused of monitoring and stifling anti-Communist Party dissent in ethnic Chinese communities.
