Mary Bowerman

USA TODAY

Twenty Chinese crew members were sentenced to jail and fined $5.9 million after Ecuadorean officials found 300-tons of frozen marine animals apparently taken from the Galapagos reserve onboard their ship, Reuters reported.

Ecuadorean Judge Alexandra Arroyo announced the sentences Sunday, according to the Associated Press. Arroyo sentenced the Fu Yuan Yu Leng 999's captain to four years in jail, and handed out shorter sentences ranging from one to three years for the other crew members.

The Chinese ship was spotted in mid-August in the waters of the Galapagos marine reserve. Officials found more than 6,000 sharks, including protected species on the ship, AP reported.

Ecuadorean officials believe the crew was illegally fishing in the Galapagos Marine Reserve.

In China, shark fin soup is considered a delicacy and a status-symbol for many. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Tuesday that the country condemns any form of illegal fishing, but said there was no evidence the ship had actually fished in the protected Galapagos area, Reuters reported.

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