Greenpeace alleges Korean IUU fishing

Environmental activist group Greenpeace is calling on the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to improve regulation to prevent illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing by vessels flying its flag in foreign waters.

The group organized a protest in Busan, Korea on 7 October, coinciding with the arrival of the Insung 3, a Korean fishing vessel, which the group claims was carrying 60 metric tons of illegally-caught fish. Greenpeace said the vessel, which fishes in waters off Antarctica, fished illegally in Argentina’s Exclusive Economic Zone in 2013, and is in port now to face an inquiry by the ministry.

"These IUU cases expose loopholes in existing legislation where the government does not have the legal ground to take further action.” said Jeonghee Han, Oceans Campaigner of Greenpeace East Asia. “Insung IUU cases highlight alarming problems with existing legislation.”

Officials from the European Commission have also alleged Korea has not done enough to curb IUU fishing. The commission issued a formal warning to Korea and other nations in November 2013, then followed this summer by setting a six-month deadline for Korea to establish improved regulations or face import bans. The commission has expressed interest in controlling IUU fishing in particular off the coast of West Africa.