Ulsan, South Korea – The Ulsan Coast Guard announced on Tuesday that it had apprehended 10 individuals, including boat owners and captains, involved in an illegal deep-sea fishing operation. The suspects had been recruiting recreational anglers and falsely presenting them as crew members to conduct fishing activities beyond authorized limits.

An investigation revealed that these individuals had been targeting anglers seeking to catch deep-sea species like hairtail, mackerel, and sea bream. To circumvent regulations, they had created fake employment contracts for these anglers, falsely classifying them as crew members. They had even exploited a loophole in the fisheries cooperative insurance system to enroll the anglers under anonymous policies.

Under local ordinances, 10-ton fishing vessels are restricted to operating within territorial waters. However, a growing demand among anglers for deep-sea fishing has led to a surge in illegal operations venturing far beyond these limits.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that these vessels often operate in hazardous areas such as the East Sea gas field and the Korea-Japan Fisheries Agreement Line, which are located 20 to 40 nautical miles offshore. These regions are prone to severe weather conditions and heavy shipping traffic, significantly increasing the risk of maritime accidents.

"Maritime accidents involving passenger vessels like fishing boats can easily escalate into large-scale casualties," said Ahn Cheol-jun, the commissioner of the Ulsan Coast Guard. "We will continue to conduct regular monitoring and intensive crackdowns on vessels operating in distant waters, as well as illegal fishing boats."

The coast guard has vowed to intensify its efforts to prevent such illegal activities and ensure the safety of both fishermen and recreational anglers.