The department said it found reasonable grounds to suspect non-compliance with the Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998.
Four Chinese-flagged fishing vessels have been intercepted after entering South Africa’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and territorial waters without the required authorisation.
According to Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, said the operation was a coordination of the Fisheries Branch of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and Saps Tactical Team.
The vessels – Zhong Yang 231, Zhong Yang 232, Zhong Yang 233, and Zhong Yang 239 – were placed under guard by South African Police Service (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,” said the department.
“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.
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“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.”
The department said it found reasonable grounds to suspect non-compliance with the Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998.
Chinese vessels fined
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 departed South African waters.
“South Africa will not tolerate the unlawful use of its maritime zones,” said 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.
“South Africa remains committed to safeguarding its maritime zones, protecting marine resources, and strengthening international cooperation in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated Fishing.”
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