Chinese Vessels’ Overfishing Affect Iranian Fishermen’s Livelihoods

Iranian legislator Ahmad Moradi says overfishing by industrial and Chinese vessels in Iran’s southern waters has drawn the ire of local fishermen whose livelihoods have been affected by the practice.

“As fishermen’s livelihoods are directly linked to fishing for marine animals, Chinese ships should not be allowed to affect domestic catch of fish,” said Moradi, who sits on Parliament’s Energy Commission.

According to a Farsi report by ICANA, he said industrial vessels must not be authorized to fish in the country’s coastal waters.

“I feel there are [profiteers getting] rake-offs from fishing by Chinese vessels on the country’s southern coast, and these people have, by cashing in on legal loopholes, arranged overfishing by Chinese ships,” said the MP.

“Traditional fishermen have no way to make a living other than fishing, but industrial ships disrupt local fishermen’s economic situation by catching small and big fish,” the lawmaker noted.

He underlined that industrial ships jeopardize stocks of marine animals by excessive fishing.

“Industrial vessels catch big and small fish using satellite equipment, and under such circumstances, domestic fishermen’s nets don’t deserve to be empty,” he said.

“Overfishing by industrial and Chinese vessels has made [local] fishermen upset. So, in order to support local fishermen, Parliament can pass a law preventing Chinese ships from fishing for marine animals in country’s coastal waters, especially off the coastal towns in the Persian Gulf,” said the lawmaker.