Chinese boats are causing pollution in South Korean waters, Seoul authorities said Thursday. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 19 (UPI) -- South Korea's coast guard is to crack down on Chinese squid boats operating illegally near Ulleungdo, an island off the country's eastern coast.

Seoul authorities say the Chinese fishermen are not only "sweeping up" squid near the island but also discharging plastic garbage in South Korean waters, news service EDaily reported Thursday.


Illegal Chinese activities could be responsible for a drastic decline in South Korean catches of squid.

According to Seoul's maritime ministry, squid catches only reached 1,987 tons in October of this year, an 82 percent decrease from October 2018. This year's catch is the lowest on record since 1990, the South Korean government said.

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Chinese boats are already overfishing squid in North Korean waters. Seoul's Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology has said the number of Chinese boats in North Korean waters has increased 18-fold from 2004 to 2018.

The Institute also said Chinese boats are responsible for worsening oil pollution at sea, in areas of Ulleungdo and near the disputed Dokdo Islets.

Chinese boats cause "secondary damage" as they evacuate to areas near Ulleungdo during adverse weather conditions, including disposing of garbage illegally. EDaily's report included photos of plastic beverage bottles of Chinese origin near the island, published with permission from KIOST.

Reports of garbage left behind by Chinese tourists have previously angered South Koreans. In 2017, a photograph of a trash-strewn airport on the island of Jeju went viral. The garbage had been left behind by Chinese visitors who travel to Jeju visa-free, and often spend their hours prior to departure shopping at duty-free boutiques at the airport.

Tourism may be a vital source of revenue for Jeju.

News 1 reported Thursday passport holders of the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia would be allowed to travel to Jeju without a visa.

Seoul's goal is to increase the number of tourist visits to 20 million annually, according to the report.