CAPE TOWN — Four Chinese-flagged fishing vessels have been intercepted and fined for unauthorised entry into South African waters following a coordinated operation by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and the South African Police Service Tactical Team.
The vessels – Zhong Yang 231, Zhong Yang 232, Zhong Yang 233 and Zhong Yang 239 – were placed under guard at the Port of Cape Town anchorage while compliance processes were finalised with the vessel owner, Shenzhen Shuiwan Pelagic Fisheries Co. Ltd.
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Willie Aucamp said South Africa would not tolerate the unlawful use of its maritime zones.
“We remain resolute in safeguarding our marine resources and ensuring that our ports are not perceived as ports of convenience. Compliance with our laws is non-negotiable,” Aucamp said.
The vessels initially requested permission on 23 February to pass through South Africa’s exclusive economic zone under “innocent passage”, indicating they would exit by 3 March.
However, on 27 February, the South African Maritime Safety Authority reported that the vessels had also applied for off-port limits authorisation without the required justification or documentation. The request was rejected.
Investigations by DFFE revealed that the vessels had already entered South African territorial waters while the off-port limits request was under consideration. They were detected within 12 nautical miles of the KwaZulu-Natal coast and later tracked along the Eastern Cape coastline.
During this time, the vessels repeatedly switched their Automatic Identification System on and off, a violation of South African regulations requiring foreign vessels to keep the system active while transiting national waters. The system is used to ensure navigational awareness and prevent collisions at sea.
The masters of the vessels were charged under the Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998, and an administrative penalty of R400 000 was imposed. The vessel owner subsequently paid the fine, after which the vessels were released and have departed South African waters.
Aucamp said that South Africa has committed to safeguarding its maritime zones, protecting marine resources and strengthening international cooperation in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
