Chinese vessel detained with banned shark fins
The vessel was among four detained by 11 Pacific island nations during a surveillance operation from 3 to 14 august.
The vessel was among four detained by 11 Pacific island nations during a surveillance operation from 3 to 14 august.
SYDNEY (AFP) — Kiribati detained a Chinese fishing vessel this month after maritime police found shark fins aboard, authorities said, in a Pacific crackdown on illegal fishing.
The vessel was licensed to operate in Kiribati waters but was detained after inspectors found the fins, maritime police commander Tom Redfern told Agence France-Presse.
“It was escorted back to Christmas Island for further investigation,” Redfern said.
The vessel was among four detained by 11 Pacific island nations during a surveillance operation from 3 to 14 August, with support from the US Coast Guard and an Australian military aircraft.
Redfern said a Kiribati maritime officer found the vessel was violating its license by retaining shark fins.
Shark finning — cutting fins from live sharks and discarding their bodies at sea — is banned across much of the Pacific because of its impact on shark populations.
Fisheries researcher Andrew Chin of Australia’s James Cook University said the practice has caused “massive declines” in shark numbers.
Kiribati has one of the Pacific’s largest exclusive economic zones, covering about 3.5 million square kilometers. The country has also strengthened ties with China since switching diplomatic recognition from Taiwan in 2019.
