South Korea’s campaign against illegal Chinese fishing has yet to stop a sharp increase in vessels near the disputed inter-Korean maritime boundary, raising fresh questions about enforcement during the autumn fishing season.
The number of Chinese fishing boats operating illegally near South Korea’s Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea more than doubled between late August and early October, according to the Korea Coast Guard.
About 190 Chinese vessels were spotted operating in the area early this month, compared with approximately 80 in late August, despite a government-wide crackdown launched on Aug. 27.
However, the latest count was still 50 vessels lower than the 240 recorded during the same period last year. Authorities also noted that illegal fishing activity typically increases during the autumn fishing season.
The figures highlight the difficulties South Korean authorities face in enforcing restrictions in waters near the de facto maritime boundary between the two Koreas.
Why South Korea’s crackdown has struggled to contain illegal fishing
In August, the Korea Coast Guard joined four government ministries to announce a series of measures aimed at stopping illegal fishing near the NLL.
The measures include deploying additional Coast Guard special operations personnel, forcibly removing illegal fishing gear, installing artificial structures to obstruct fishing operations and revising relevant laws to penalize vessels that anchor for reasons unrelated to passage.
Foreign fishing vessels are prohibited from operating in the designated waters. Nevertheless, Chinese boats continue to cross the NLL and fish in the area, according to South Korean authorities.
Many of the vessels reportedly lack registration documents, a home port and a vessel name. They are also unlicensed in China, making enforcement more complicated.
Boats flee into North Korean waters to evade capture
One of the biggest obstacles for South Korean authorities is the vessels’ ability to escape into North Korean waters when interception operations begin.
Their movements across the maritime boundary complicate efforts to seize boats suspected of illegal fishing, even as the Coast Guard increases patrols with support from the South Korean Navy.
The situation has also unfolded amid heightened tensions between the two Koreas following a land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone last month, according to The Korea Times.
South Korea has seized more boats this year
Despite the continued presence of illegal fishing vessels, enforcement operations have resulted in more seizures.
The Coast Guard, backed by the Navy, had seized 13 Chinese fishing boats near the NLL so far in 2026, compared with four seized throughout 2025.
A Coast Guard official said the government-wide measures were gradually beginning to curb illegal fishing as individual measures were implemented. Authorities pledged to continue enforcement efforts.
The rise in vessel numbers since late August nevertheless underscores the gap between South Korea’s stated goal of clearing illegal fishing boats from the area and the practical challenges of doing so.
For now, the coming weeks of the autumn fishing season will remain an important test of whether stronger enforcement can reduce illegal activity near the maritime boundary.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
