Mick Hartley

How North Korea dodges UN Security Coucil sanctions on exporting seafood: they sell the fishing rights:

The North Korean authorities are earning millions of dollars each year by selling fishing rights to Chinese fishing companies, Daily NK has learned. The Chinese fishing companies working in North Korean waters are under the protection of the North Korean coast guard.

Speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, a source in China told Daily NK on Nov. 23 that Chinese fishing companies are leasing fishing rights from the North Korean authorities for RMB 50 million (around USD 7 million) each year so they can farm and catch fish in North Korea’s territorial waters.

The price of North Korean fishing rights depends upon the size and location of the area in question, but overall, the price is much higher than it was several years ago.

Given the high prices, individual Chinese fishermen hardly ever make contracts with North Korea. Rather, it is typically Chinese small and medium-sized fishing companies that contact North Korean seafood companies about acquiring the fishing rights.

The areas being leased to Chinese fishing companies are mostly concentrated around Ka, Taehwa and Sinmi islands, south of Cholsan Peninsula, in North Pyongan Province. Some fishing companies catch horned turbans, blue crabs and yellowtail amberjack in large quantities there, while others raise clams and jellyfish, according to the source. 

“The Chinese companies with the fishing rights have highly organized operations in North Korean waters and are under the protection of the North Korean coast guard. That makes it hard for North Korean fishermen or Chinese fishing vessels without any rights to access those areas,” the source said.