There have been multiple reports of Chinese trawlers off the coast of Pakistan’s Balochistan province. The Chinese consul-general in Karachi says they have not engaged in illegal fishing, but locals fear for the future of their fish stocks.
Every country with a distant-water fishing (DWF) fleet engages in illegal fishing, but China has the largest DWF fleet in the world. The recent presence of Chinese vessels off the coast of several South American countries has alarmed environmental authorities in the region.
Images of Philippine fishing boats around Scarborough Shoal suggest some sort of deal was reached, but its significance is disputed by analysts.