China continues to squeeze the number of vessels in its own waters in order to replenish heavily overexploited fisheries.
A blizzard of propaganda in Rongcheng, a key fishing port in Shandong Province, and a conference organized by local government and the fisheries bureau there, have informed trawler owners that the city will convert or destroy 96 vessels this year. Local government has gone as far as appointing two permanent officials at the local Ocean and Fisheries Bureau to ensure that the scrappages happen. Another port city, Weihai, has identified 149 vessels for destruction or conversion to other uses.
China has made reducing the coastal fleet a priority under its current 13th Five-Year Plan. However, there’s been a continued ramp-up in vessels being built for international waters.
