On January 6 a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker, the Sanchi, collided with the CF Crystal, a Hong Kong-flagged bulk freighter carrying wheat. The incident occurred approximately 160 nautical miles off the coast of Shanghai at the mouth of the Yangzi River Delta. The Sanchi was carrying 136,000 tonnes of a crude oil-based condensate from Iran to South Korea when it collided with CF Crystal, catching fire and releasing most of its cargo into the atmosphere and ocean. The tanker sunk, however, which many believe was crucial to containing the spill. Video footage also recorded a number of explosions after the carrier had caught fire, further complicating clean-up efforts.
Back in 2016, China’s Global Times admitted that fish stocks in the East China Sea had become so depleted that there are practically no fish in some areas’. The Chinese population is rising at a rapid pace, as is the income of the average citizen. As personal incomes have risen, sea food has slowly become a common feature on many Chinese dinner tables. As a result of increased demand, the fishing fleet, the number of people employed in the fishing industry and the wages paid to them have all risen. The Central Government has admitted, however, that this pursuit has inflicted a terrible toll on the environment. Nonetheless, fishing is a politically sensitive issue for the Communist Party to deal with. State subsidies pay for cheap fuel and additional technology that modern fishing companies need to maintain a competitive edge. A depleted fishing environment, now sullied by pollution, may embolden the Communist Party to encourage fishing further abroad and an opportunity to refrain from any reformatory measures regarding fishing and the environment.
The oil spill will exacerbate this thinking. According to the New York Times, the affected area produced around five million tons of seafood in 2017 and is home to a plethora of different species of marine life. The condensate could easily affect whatever fish remain in the area as well as other fishing areas in Japan. This should make the Chinese Government somewhat hesitant about extensive fishing in the East China Sea. Not only are fish stocks seriously depleted, but the remaining fish have a heightened chance of being contaminated with an oil-based condensate that is hard to see once absorbed into the water. Furthermore, the government has been, at least in the eyes of the international public, committed to eco-stewardship and green public policies. Pulling fish out of a polluted fishery will not satisfy the public’s desire for healthy food, and depending on the public’s exposure to the accident, the government may not want to risk exposing itself to public criticism.
The government will probably use this incident to justify any assistance it lends to fishers looking to increase their activities in foreign economic zones. Last year it was reported that China had bought US$10 million ($12.7 million) worth of fishing permits from the Puntland Government even though, according to Somali law, all permits need to be bought through the central government. Other commentators believe that China is trespassing into foreign waters because of weak laws and consumer demand in China but also Europe and North America.
Environmental degradation is typically seen as a product, rather than a driver, of illegal fishing. Commentators and policymakers must be prepared for the appropriation of environmental degradation as a justification for illegal fishing.
Future Directions International 2016