Three Chinese fishing vessels have been impounded in East London harbour, for allegedly fishing illegally in South African waters.



The vessels were brought into port on Sunday night as part of a joint operation by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DAFF), the SA Maritime Safety Authority and the SA Navy.



They were escorted the DAFF vessel, Sarah Baartman, and the SA Navy ship, SAS Drakensberg.



This followed an investigation into reports that Chinese fishing trawlers were fishing illegally in South African waters.



"On 20 May 2016, just off Port Elizabeth, the joint patrol spotted two foreign fishing vessels from the automated identification system on board the Navy vessel. We established that the vessels had gear on board and we verified that they had not applied to enter into our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and that created suspicion. The seas were rough, which made it impossible for our inspectors to board the vessels. Our fishery control officers instructed the vessels through radio communication to sail to East London, but they did not cooperate," the DAFF said.



A spokesperson for the Department Bomikazi Molapo, said two vessels played cat and mouse on the high seas with the SA Navy, before they were eventually intercepted and instructed to sail to East London.



"DAFF's patrol vessel and the SA Navy vessel had to increase speed in order to intercept the foreign fishing vessels which were speeding off, but managed to intercept them. The vessels stopped and they switched off their engines.



"That continued and at about 02h00, on Sunday morning 22 May 2016, the foreign fishing vessels started their engines and within no time and with no communication with the Inspectors, they started steaming towards the east.



"The two foreign vessels were followed throughout the early hours of the morning and they were intercepted again, and fortunately this time the weather had improved and the fisheries inspectors and the SA Navy officials boarded the foreign vessels.



"The inspections were conducted, whereby fish and gear was found on both foreign vessels, both with no permits. The vessels were again instructed to sail to the nearest port, which was East London," the statement read.



En route to East London a third Chinese fishing vessels was spotted and also instructed to sail to East London.The foreign fishing vessels were found to have the following tons of fish on board:

-- Fu Yuan Yu 7880 (36 crew) - about 340 tons of squid.

-- Fu Yang Yu 7881 (34 crew) - about 60 tons of squid.

-- Run Da 617 (26 crew) - about 200 tons of squid and other species of fish.



All the fish holding cabins have been sealed off as required by investigation standards.



As part of further investigations of the vessels, all fish will be taken out of the vessels for further identification, counting and weighing.



Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana said the capture of the vessels indicates the country's seriousness to protect its territorial and exclusive economic zone. "We cannot tolerate the plundering of our marine resources, which are a source of food security and play a huge role in realising our goals in Operation Phakisa. We are also looking into the sudden influx of these vessels in our waters ," Zokwana said.



The Principal Officer of the Centre for Fishing in East London, Thobile Gqabu, says the South African Maritime Safety Authority is conducting a survey of the vessels today.



The inspection also considers crew safety, pollution threat, vessel safety standards and all related matters in terms of International conventions as well as South African Maritime Law.DAFF and SAPS are busy with registration of the docket, after which it will be handed over to the National Prosecuting Authority.