The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the Philippines has raised concern over the continued presence of foreign vessels conducting fishing operations in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Among others, Chinese Maritime Militia vessels have been monitored in big numbers in the West Philippine Sea, BFAR said in a statement.
“These foreign vessels have no clearance from the Philippine government or any existing fisheries cooperation agreements with the country that allow them to conduct any fishing operations. Their fishing activities, therefore, are considered Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing within the Philippine territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),” the government agency said.
BFAR is closely coordinating with the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) and supports its plan led by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to file new diplomatic protests against the continuous presence and activities of these foreign vessels.
Read more:
https://mb.com.ph/2021/10/20/bfar-worries-over-continuing-presence-of-foreign-vessels-in-wps/