Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Chinese coast guards ward off Pangasinan fishermen from Scarborough Shoal

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 21): Chinese coast guards ward off Pangasinan fishermen from Scarborough Shoal

Some 50 fishermen from both Pangasinan and Zambales on board 19 fishing boats were shooed away from the Scarborough Shoal by Chinese coast guards manning three vessels last Sunday.

A radio report said that because of the incident the fishermen turned back to shore and reported the matter to their local authorities and the Philippine Coast Guard, which are expected to report the same to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as well as the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The Pangasinan fishermen were from Barangay Cato in Infanta town who used to be fishing on clear days near the Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground in the West Philipine Sea.

Scarborough, is a shoal lying some 150 nautical miles in the West Philippine Sea off the province of Zambales.

It is a rich fishing ground frequented by fishermen from both Pangasinan and Zambales till the Chinese coast guard moved in to intercept a Philippine vessel that arrested Chinese fishermen who were poaching live turtles.

This resulted in weeks of standoff between coast guards of both the Philippines and China three years ago.

It is in the Scarborough Shoal where Pangasinan fishermen used to take shelter during harsh weather condition in the West Philippine Sea.

But it is now being claimed by China which in fact stationed their coast guard there to ward off any intruder.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=754691

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