Joe Biden swipes at China, signing pledge to combat illegal fishing
- The US president’s new national security memorandum comes as Washington seeks to counter Beijing’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific
- Some countries in the region say Chinese fishing vessels often violate their exclusive economic zones and cause environmental damage and economic losses.
US President Joe Biden on Monday signed a national security memorandum to fight illegal fishing, part of pledged efforts to help countries combat alleged violations by fishing fleets, including those of China.
The White House said in a statement that it would also launch an alliance with Canada and the United Kingdom to “take urgent action” to improve monitoring, control, and surveillance in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
US officials have vowed to introduce policies to better battle illegal fishing, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, as part of stepped up engagement with the region to counter China’s growing influence.
Some countries in the region chafe at China’s vast fishing fleet, arguing its vessels often violate their 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zones (EEZ) and cause environmental damage and economic losses.
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Senior US administration officials told reporters in a briefing that the memorandum directs agencies to work toward “ending human trafficking, including forced labour … while promoting safe, sustainable use of the ocean”.
The Department of Labour, the Department of Defence, the US Coast Guard, and other enforcement agencies would engage with private and foreign partners to “investigate fishing vessels and operators expected to be harvesting seafood with forced labour”, the official said.
