A sudden downpour may have washed out plans for a ceremonial
inspection of sea areas off east China's Shandong Province but it
failed to dampen enthusiasm among officials for a fishery agreement
with the Republic of Korea (ROK) which takes effect Saturday.
A
fleet of Chinese fishery management ships had planned to cruise and
look at the fishing waters close to Shidao, a port in Weihai, where
ROK vessels fish in China's exclusive economic zone.
But the trip was cancelled owing to a deluge which hit the coastal
town Friday morning.
China has vowed to act strictly in accordance with the pact.
"The implementation of the agreement is our response to world
trends and will be of vital significance to the protection of
fishery resources and the cooperation between China and ROK in the
field,'' said Qi Jingfa, vice-minister of Agriculture.
The pact, the second of its kind China has signed with its
neighbouring countries following the bilateral agreement with
Japan.
It
was signed in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea, which took effect in 1994 and states that each
coastal nation is allowed jurisdiction over resources, research,
and environmental protection up to 200 nautical miles (370
kilometers) offshore.
Many parts of the sea between China and ROK are less than 400
nautical miles (740 kilometers) wide.
According to the pact, both countries will manage fishing in
certain places.
The transitional agreement limits the amount of fishing ships each
nation is allowed to enter the other nation's exclusive economic
zone.
Between June 30, 2000 and December 31, 2001, a total of 2,796
Chinese fishing boats can enter South Korea's exclusive economic
zone and fish no more than 164,400 tons aquatic products. For South
Korea, the figure is 1,402 ships and 90,000 tons.
This will lay off many Chinese fishermen. Local governments in
Shandong are striving to find work for fishermen who will lose
their jobs under the new pact, according to Li Jianhua,
vice-director of the Fisheries Bureau under the Ministry of
Agriculture.
China and ROK began negotiations in 1993, one year after they
established diplomatic relations. The two countries finally reached
an agreement last August.
(China Daily 06/30/2001)