China to require its fishing vessels within Korea's EEZ to activate tracking devices

Choi Yong-seok, right, the deputy minister of fishing policy, poses with his Chinese counterpart, Liu Xinzhong, during the 23rd joint fishing committee meeting in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Nov. 2, in this photo released by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Yonhap

China has agreed to require its fishing vessels operating in Korea's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to keep their tracking devices on beginning in May next year, Seoul's oceans ministry said Friday.

The agreement, which was reached during regular fisheries talks between the two nations earlier this week, is expected to help Korea combat illegal fishing by Chinese fishing vessels, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

Under the agreement, Chinese fishing vessels operating in Korea's EEZ will be required to install and activate so-called automatic identification systems, which transmit location and speed data to the relevant authorities.

The number of fishing boats allowed to enter each other's EEZ will be set at 1,200 in 2024, down 50 from this year, the oceans ministry said.

"We will continue to prepare policies based on the bilateral agreement to protect maritime resources and eradicate illegal fishing activities," Oceans Minister Cho Seung-hwan said in a statement. (Yonhap)