South Africa intercepts Chinese fishing vessels
Chinese vessels catch attention of authorities
SOUTH AFRICA: Alerted by the unusual behaviour of four Chinese fishing vessels, teams from the Fisheries Branch of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment as well as the South African Police Service (SAPS) took action to intercept four Chinese fishing vessels within South Africa’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Having requested permission to pass through the EEZ on 23 February under innocent passage, the vessels followed up with a request for Off Port Limits (OPL) four days later. Without the required documentation, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) rejected the request for OPL services .
Further investigations by DFFE revealed that the vessels had already entered South African territorial waters while the OPL request was under consideration. They were detected within 12 nautical miles of the KwaZulu-Natal coast and later tracked along the Eastern Cape coastline.
The vessels also violated the regulations requiring all foreign vessels to keep their Automatic Identification System (AIS) active at all times while in transit through South African waters.
The vessels – Zhong Yang 231, Zhong Yang 232, Zhong Yang 233, and Zhong Yang 239 – were placed under guard by SAPS Tactical Team members and Fishery Control Officers at the Port of Cape Town anchorage while compliance processes were finalised between DFFE and the vessel owner, Shenzhen Shuiwan Pelagic Fisheries (Shenzhen).
Based on the available evidence, there were reasonable grounds to suspect non-compliance with the Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998. The Masters of the vessels were charged and an administrative penalty of R400,000 was imposed. The vessel owner subsequently paid the fine, after which the vessels were released and have departed South African waters.
“South Africa will not tolerate the unlawful use of its maritime zones,” said Minister Willie Aucamp. “We remain resolute in safeguarding our marine resources and ensuring that our ports are not perceived as ports of convenience. Compliance with our laws is non-negotiable.”
In a report published by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) in 2024, Shenzhen was identified as one of four Chinese-owned companies operating at least 20 vessels in the Mozambican EEZ.
According to vessel lists published by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, Shenzhen is authorised to fish for south albacore as well as bycatch of tuna and tuna-like species in the Pacific Ocean – and permitted to transship at sea.
Responsibility for managing albacore in the Pacific Ocean is shared across regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs). The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) manages the eastern Pacific portion of the South Pacific albacore stock, while the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPCFC) manages the western Pacific portion, underscoring the need for cooperative, Pacific-wide approaches to sustainable albacore fisheries governance.
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