New Sino-Japanese Fishery Agreement to Take Effect

The New China-Japan Fishery Agreement will be put into effect starting June 1 this year, Chinese Vice-Minister of Agriculture Qi Jingfa told a press conference Thursday.

He said that China and Japan signed the agreement on November 11, 1997, and completed their respective domestic legal procedures for effecting the agreement in the first half of 1998. But due to major differences regarding fishery arrangement in the northern East China Sea, the agreement did not go into effect.

After negotiations, the two sides eventually resolved their differences late last month, and agreed that the new agreement will go become effective in June, when the Fishery Agreement signed by the two countries in 1975 will become invalid.

According the new agreement, a Temporary Co-Management Fishery Zone will be set up between 27 degrees and 34.4 degrees north latitude, 52 nautical miles beyond the respective basic territorial sea lines of the two countries.

And fishing activities will remain the same as before in the area south of 27 degrees north latitude and west of 125.3 degrees east longitude. Fishing ships from both countries may conduct fishing activities without getting licenses from the other side in the East China Sea area north of 30.4 degrees north latitude and between 124.45 degrees and 127.3 degrees east longitude, a region called the Central Zone.

The areas on either side of the Temporary Co-management Fishery Zone and Central Zone will be under the jurisdiction of the respective countries.

Qi said this new agreement is important for regulating the fishing order in the East China Sea, protecting the fishing interests of China and Japan, and developing fishing cooperation and stabilizing bilateral relations.

The agreement will also have a positive influence on resolving fishing issues between China and the Republic of Korea, and China and Viet Nam.

But he conceded that when the agreement takes effect, many Chinese fishing ships will have to retreat from areas close to the Japanese side, which will affect fishing production and the lives of the Chinese fishermen.

Therefore, the ministry has called on local governments to publicize the new agreement so fishermen will correctly understand its contents, Qi said.

At the same time, officials should help surplus fishermen to quit fishing and find them new jobs in order to ensure social and economic stability in the fishing communities.

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