[ The Guardian ] Pakistan detains five Chinese trawlers for alleged illegal fishing
Vessels laden with fish claim to have sheltered from storm, but Gwadar fishers want catch auctioned locally
Pakistan has detained five Chinese trawlers on suspicion of illegal fishing near its strategic port city of Gwadar, as a wave of protests swept across the region led by fishers concerned about losing control of their fishing grounds to China.
The Chinese trawlers, loaded with fish, were taken into custody by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), which has begun an investigation into their suspicious presence in Gwadar, where China has built a deep-sea port as part of its global belt and road initiative.
Hundreds of fishers have rallied against the Chinese trawlers since last week, accusing them of fishing in Pakistani waters and sending the catch back to China.
A group consisting of local authorities and fishers visited one of the Chinese trawlers on Sunday to determine whether its fish had been caught in provincial waters. “The fishers believe the Chinese trawler had caught fish on the Gwadar coast,” said Khudadad Waju, the president of Fisherfolk Alliance Gwadar. “They are visiting other Chinese trawlers today to learn more. We demand that these fish should be auctioned in Gwadar and not be taken to China.”
