Open season in the Philippine seas | World Defense

Open season in the Philippine seas

Corzhens

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From time to time, we read news about illegal poachers caught on Philippine waters. There was a time that some 11 Chinese fishermen were caught with a cargo of Pangolins, the so called ant eaters caught in Palawan islands, inside Philippine territory. But most of the incidents involved fishermen - Chinese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese and not too long ago some Japanese. It seems that the Philippine coast guard has no power to have full control of the territory.
 

Corzhens

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From a recent news in the northern Philippine seas. A Taiwanese fishing boat was caught by Batanes coast guard fishing in the Philippine waters. That's illegal fishing and a case of poaching is in order. What's funny is that the said Taiwanese fishing boat was sporting the Philippine flag. What strategy, really. They thought the coast guard wouldn't mind them with that flag. What they forgot is that fishing boats in the Philippines are dilapidated and a new boat like that is a rarity.
 

STM

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It doesn't surprise me at all to read this. I've been pretty interested into knowing more about Asia lately, and from the looks of it this issue has been around since slice bread was invented, but nobody truly enforced any kind of protection whatsoever. Heh.
 

Corzhens

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The head of the Philippine Coast guard had clarified that illegal fishing is very attractive to foreign fishermen because the West Philippine Sea is very rife with marine life. Not only the 2 China have been poaching on our seas, there's also the Vietnamese fishermen. My idea is to allow those foreign fishing vessels to fish in our seas in exchange for something. At least there will be no more illegal fishing and diplomacy is started somehow.
 

Rowe992

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That's how it goes when a nation is smaller than it's neighbors who have more resources. I am certain that no foreign fishermen can enter the China's or Japan's waters to fish but their fishermen can go out to other countries and fish as they please.
 

Diane Lane

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This happens south of me, around South Padre Island, as well. Mexican fishermen violate the U.S. coastal waters, in search of fish and sharks. They also string their lines across, endangering wildlife. It seems some people have no sense of boundaries, and are willing to break laws wantonly.

I think it's a great idea you have @Corzhens to perhaps issue licenses, thereby at least gaining something in return for the loss of your country's resources, and in some cases I'm sure it would work, but I'm afraid the types of people who violate these laws aren't the sort who would abide by the new laws, and would continue to violate your country's sovereignty, and fish without licenses.
 

Freespirit

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We should really preserve our natural resources. Even other countries know how rich our bodies of water are. We should focus on agriculture and fishery to be able to feed our citizens. Instead of importing food from other countries. Who knows maybe that fish or fruit we imported is actually from our country lol.
 

Corzhens

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This happens south of me, around South Padre Island, as well. Mexican fishermen violate the U.S. coastal waters, in search of fish and sharks. They also string their lines across, endangering wildlife. It seems some people have no sense of boundaries, and are willing to break laws wantonly.

I think it's a great idea you have @Corzhens to perhaps issue licenses, thereby at least gaining something in return for the loss of your country's resources, and in some cases I'm sure it would work, but I'm afraid the types of people who violate these laws aren't the sort who would abide by the new laws, and would continue to violate your country's sovereignty, and fish without licenses.

That's also what I was thinking about the issue of poachers. Why not legalize it since our coast guard cannot really guard our waters. And if licenses will be issued to those Chinese and Japanese and Taiwanese fishemen, it can be little diplomatic move that may grow in time. And the bureau of fisheries even said that our waters have an abundance of marine life that can only be conserved with the cooperation of everyone.
 
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