MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines blamed Chinese fishermen on Monday for a massive loss of giant clams in a disputed shoal controlled by China’s coast guard in the South China Sea and urged an international inquiry into the amount of environmental damage in the area. The Philippine coast guard presented surveillance photographs of Chinese fishermen harvesting large numbers of giant clams for a number of years in a lagoon at Scarborough Shoal, but said signs of such activities stopped in March 2019. Parts of the surrounding coral appeared to be badly scarred, in what the coast guard said was apparently a futile search by the Chinese for more clams. The lagoon is a prominent fishing area which Filipinos call Bajo de Masinloc and the Chinese calll Huangyan Dao off the northwestern Philippines. “Those were the last remaining giant clams that we saw in Bajo de Masinloc,” Philippine coast guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said at a news conference. |
Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden's emergency services levy briefings kept secretGovernment rejects Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown's demands over rates, GSTSchool truancy will leave 80RTHK using AI presenters to 'enhance productivity,' relieve staff shortageQueenstown housing: 'The situation hasn't gotten any better'Japan unexpectedly slips into a recessionNZ aid worker Andrew Bagshaw's parents want death in Ukraine recognised as war crimeGovernment rejects Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown's demands over rates, GSTLabour defends roadside drug testing legislationQueenstown housing: 'The situation hasn't gotten any better'