Chinese Fishing Leviathan Of The Seas

News from the Celtic League:

‘Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse for the worlds oceans!’

We have been reporting on the assault on the marine environment by so called Super-Trawlers like the Margiris and Annelies Ilena which can catch and process over 200 tonnes a day.

Super trawlers now operate in all the Oceans of the world and we posted a link from Greenpeace on what they termed ‘the monster boats’ fishing waters from the Pacific and South Atlantic to Northern waters around Europe.

Just when you think it couldn’t be worse for the world oceans you find it is. Look at this beast of the sea we stumbled across while researching the issue (illustration).

The Lafayette or Damanzaihao as she is now known is a real Leviathan of the sea. It is actually a converted oil tanker of 49,000 and operates with up to six attendant trawlers which tranship there catch to her where they can process a staggering 1500 tonnes of fish a day. (Note: Transshipment is classified as a fishing activity by regulatory bodies).

The vessel was flagged in Russia but this changes and we think she now has a Peruvian flag. A Chinese consortium currently operates her and although the attendant link has her off Australia she seems to be now working off South America:

http://www.smh.com.au/…/monster-fishing-ship-in-pacific-eas…

The vessel was put on an illegal fishing list last year although the owners protested this (see link):

https://www.undercurrentnews.com/…/pacific-andes-factory-v…/

Oh! By the way if you think Chinese fishing interests are a long way from the waters of North Europe they are not. Their industry now has a toehold in Mauritania in North West Africa and vessels owned by the same company that runs Damanzaihao also use Vigo on the NW of Spain so they are getting closer.

Thankfully the Damanzaihao hasn’t turned up in Atlantic waters – YET!

Related links:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/…/china-estimated-to-dra…/

http://www.navalia.es/…/977-one-of-the-biggest-ship-owner-s…

Illustration: Damanzaihao/Lafayette with one of her attendant trawlers.

BERNARD MOFFATT
Public Relations Officer Mannin Branch

Issued by: The Mannin branch of the Celtic League.

TEL: 01624 877918 or 07624 491609

22/07/16

THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries including our own Mannin branch. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues

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