(image: Min. of Public Safety & Security)
SEOUL, Apr. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — The amount of squid caught in the East Sea now has been slashed to only one-third of 2004 levels, as thousands of Chinese fishing boats have started operating in North Korean waters, government data showed Monday.
Squid are caught by Chinese vessels in the northern part of the East Sea before they move southward between July and September.
The squid catch fell to 7,297 tons last year, down from 22,243 tons in 2004, according to Bank of Korea data.
The total has gradually declined to 9,461 tons in 2014 from 10,746 tons in 2012 and 16,705 tons in 2010.
The number of Chinese fishing boats operating in the East Sea, meanwhile, rose sharply to 1,904 in 2015 from 1,439 in 2012, 578 in 2010 and 144 vessels in 2004.
“The government and fishermen both need to cooperate to come up with measures to protect fish resources,” a BOK official said.
(Yonhap)
