ABOARD THE OCEAN WARRIOR in the eastern Pacific Ocean (AP) — The Associated Press with Spanish-language broadcaster Univision accompanied the conservation group Sea Shepherd this summer on an 18-day voyage to observe up close for the first time the Chinese distant water fishing fleet on the high seas off South America. China’s deployment to this remote expanse of the Pacific Ocean is no accident. Decades of overfishing have pushed its overseas fleet, the world’s largest, officially capped at 3,000 vessels but possibly consisting of thousands more, ever farther from home. U.S. and regional governments fear that the Chinese fleet’s push into the Americas could exhaust fish stocks. There’s also concern that in the absence of effective controls, illegal fishing will soar.
Great Wall of Lights: China’s sea power on Darwin’s doorstep
