Two Chinese fishery law enforcement vessels are working with US coastguards to clamp down on illegal fishing in the north Pacific, the China Fishery Law Enforcement Command announced on Tuesday.

 

This is the fifth consecutive year China has sent patrols to participate in the joint fishery law enforcement with the United States since 2002.

 

The China Yuzheng 118 and China Yuzheng 201 sailed to the North Pacific on June 24 and met with US coastguard cutter RUSH last Sunday.

 

The two sides have exchanged information and the two Chinese vessels will sail alone, keeping in contact with the US coastguard by satellite.

 

According to a memorandum of understanding reached between China and the US in 1993, China has sent fishery law enforcement personnel to join the US in law enforcement in the North Pacific every year since 1994.

 

Beginning from 2002, China added one or two vessels to the Sino-US joint campaign against illegal fishing.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 11, 2006)