distant water fleet

SUSTAINABILITY

SUSTAINABILITY

Launched on International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (5 June 2025), new Oceana  analysis of China’s global fishing activity worldwide reports that the country’s 57,000  industrial fishing vessels dominated 44% of the world’s fishing activity between 2022…

5th June 2025

Analysis: China dominates 44% of world’s fishing activity

5th June 2025

INSIGHT

INSIGHT

The lack of insight into activities on industrial fishing vessels, particularly those operating in distant waters, poses significant challenges in global fisheries management. Indeed, one of the biggest obstacles to sustainably managing global fisheries is the lack of on-the-water data.…

15th May 2025

EMS – eyes on the water

15th May 2025

ANALYSIS

ANALYSIS

A fleet of Chinese tuna fishing vessels operating in the Southwest Indian Ocean reportedly used North Koreans as crew between 2019 and 2024, likely violating UN sanctions, with many apparently subjected to…

24th February 2025

Investigation: Chinese tuna fleet used North Korean forced labour

24th February 2025

ANALYSIS

ANALYSIS

The Chinese fishing fleet is responsible for systemic illegal fishing and human rights abuses in countries bordering the Southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO), undercutting China’s claims of supporting sustainable development and thriving blue…

15th April 2024

Investigation: Chinese vessels abusing crew and fishing illegally in Indian Ocean

15th April 2024

FISHERIES

FISHERIES

Korea has recently made serious progress to improve conditions for migrant crew on its distant-water fleet, starting to close deep inequalities and remove loopholes that allow crew to be abused at sea.…

12th April 2024

EJF: Korea’s new plan to protect migrant crew is a step forward

12th April 2024

FISHERIES

FISHERIES

Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) has established its new “Plan for Further Enhancement for Working Conditions of Migrant Fishers on Distant Water Fishing Vessels”, which it developed in cooperation with…

10th April 2024

Korea introduces migrant fishing crew protection plan

10th April 2024

INSIGHT

INSIGHT

Comprising anything between 900 and 3,000 vessels catching 3-4 million tonnes of fish, China’s distant water fleets (DWFs) represent serious competition and a challenge for the EU’s own distant-water fishing activities and…

2nd October 2023

Report: EU fishers being undermined by ‘unfair’ Chinese competition

2nd October 2023