Chinese barrier at Scarborough removed

The Philippine Coast Guard on Sunday reported that the China Coast Guard, or CCG, has removed the floating barrier it installed at Scarborough Shoal or the Bajo de Masinloc.

The PCG said the floating barrier was still visible from satellite images as of 15 February, but that the same was already gone when the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, or BFAR, provided supplies to Filipino fishermen in the area recently.

Still, local fishermen reported the presence of foreigners in the area that falls within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, as affirmed by a 2016 arbitral ruling.

“Based on the satellite images that we have been monitoring, they are anticipating that the Philippine Coast Guard vessels will attempt to enter the lagoon in Bajo de Masinloc,” PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said.

“This is an illegal action on the part of the Chinese Coast Guard because primarily, this affects fisherfolk,” he added.

A similar floating barrier was installed by the CCG last September, measuring about 300 meters long, but it was promptly removed by the PCG on the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In removing the barrier, the PCG said it posed a hazard to navigation and was a “clear violation of international law.”

The BFAR said Filipino fishermen maintained that the foreigners fishing in Scarborough, or Panatag Shoal, seemed to come from China and Vietnam.

Chinese vessels had also been accused of using cyanide fishing, which destroys fish habitat, prompting calls for more patrols in the area by the PCG and BFAR.