onsdag 29. juli 2020

Ecuador on alert over huge Chinese fishing fleet off Galapagos Islands

Ecuador is on alert due to the appearance of a huge fleet of mostly Chinese-flagged fishing vessels off its Galapagos Islands. Patrols are trying to ensure the fleet - which is made up of around 260 vessels - does not enter the delicate eco-system from international waters.

Chinese vessels travel to the region each year in search of marine species. In 2017, a Chinese vessel was caught in the marine reserve with 300 tonnes of wildlife, most of it sharks. "We are on alert, [conducting] surveillance, patrolling to avoid an incident such as what happened in 2017," Ecuadorean Defence Minister Oswaldo Jarrin told reporters. There was no immediate comment from the Chinese authorities when contacted by BBC News.