Toxic tides: ‘Chinese fishing vessels pumping cyanide into contested waters’

NEW DELHI: The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the Philippines has leveled accusations against Chinese fishing fleets, alleging they employ cyanide in the destruction of Scarborough Shoal, a marine-rich atoll embroiled in territorial disputes between Manila and Beijing.

Nazario Briguera, representing the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, declared, “These Chinese fishermen utilize cyanide,” according to a report from The Philippine Star, translated from Filipino. Cyanide fishing, a method involving the dispersal of this highly toxic substance near coral reefs or fishing regions to stun or eliminate fish for easier collection, faces global condemnation due to its indiscriminate impact on various marine life, significant harm to water ecosystems, and potential health risks for consumers and handlers of the affected fish.

Briguera further asserted that the Chinese fishers’ use of cyanide aims not only at fish capture but also at the “deliberate destruction of Bajo de Masinloc to block Filipino fishing vessels from the area,” as noted by The Philippine Star, where Bajo de Masinloc refers to Scarborough Shoal.

According to the spokesperson’s estimates, such activities could cause around $17,850,000 worth of ecological damage. Although the bureau has yet to undertake a comprehensive study to ascertain the full extent of the damage, it expresses grave concerns over the situation.

Despite the decline of cyanide fishing usage among Philippine fishermen since the 1960s, a recent study by the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation in Cebu revealed that the method is still sporadically employed in the South China Sea.

In response to these accusations, the Global Times, a Chinese state-affiliated tabloid, accused the Philippines of “baselessly maligning” China with their cyanide allegations, maintaining alignment with Beijing’s narrative.

Scarborough Shoal remains a significant point of contention in South China Sea territorial disputes, claimed by China, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Despite a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal in The Hague favoring the Philippines,