Minister Willie Aucamp on interception of four Chinese-flagged fishing vessels

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, has welcomed the swift and coordinated action by the Fisheries Branch of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), working with the South African Police Service (SAPS) Tactical Team, to intercept four Chinese-flagged fishing vessels that entered South Africa’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and territorial waters without the required authorisation.

“South Africa will not tolerate the unlawful use of its maritime zones,” said Minister Aucamp. “We remain resolute in safeguarding our marine resources and ensuring that our ports are not perceived as ports of convenience. Compliance with our laws is non-negotiable.”

The vessels – Zhong Yang 231, Zhong Yang 232, Zhong Yang 233, and Zhong Yang 239 – were placed under guard by SAPS Tactical Team members and Fishery Control Officers at the Port of Cape Town anchorage while compliance processes were finalised between DFFE and the vessel owner, Shenzhen Shuiwan Pelagic Fisheries Co. Ltd.

The vessels initially requested permission on 23 February 2026 to pass through South Africa’s EEZ under “innocent passage”, indicating they would exit by 3 March. On 27 February, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) reported that the vessels had also applied for Off-Port Limits (OPL) authorisation without the required justification or documentation, and the request was rejected.

Further investigations by DFFE revealed that the vessels had already entered South African territorial waters while the OPL request was under consideration. They were detected within 12 nautical miles of the KwaZulu-Natal coast and later tracked along the Eastern Cape coastline.

During this time, the vessels repeatedly switched their Automatic Identification System (AIS) on and off. This is a violation of South African regulations requiring foreign vessels to keep AIS active while transiting national waters. AIS is a critical safety system used to ensure navigational awareness and prevent collisions at sea.

Based on the available evidence, there were reasonable grounds to suspect non-compliance with the Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998. The Masters of the vessels were charged and an administrative penalty of R400,000 was imposed. The vessel owner subsequently paid the fine, after which the vessels were released and have departed South African waters.

South Africa remains committed to safeguarding its maritime zones, protecting marine resources, and strengthening international cooperation in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated Fishing.

Enquiries:
Zolile Nqayi
Cell: 082 898 6483
E-mail: znqayi@dffe.gov.za

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