Philippines blames China for loss of giant clams in disputed shoal and urges environmental inquiry
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines blamed Chinese fishermen on Monday for a massive loss of giant clams in a disputed shoal controlled by China’s coast guard in the South China Sea and urged an international inquiry into the amount of environmental damage in the area.
The Philippine coast guard presented surveillance photographs of Chinese fishermen harvesting large numbers of giant clams for a number of years in a lagoon at Scarborough Shoal, but said signs of such activities stopped in March 2019.
Parts of the surrounding coral appeared to be badly scarred, in what the coast guard said was apparently a futile search by the Chinese for more clams. The lagoon is a prominent fishing area which Filipinos call Bajo de Masinloc and the Chinese calll Huangyan Dao off the northwestern Philippines.
“Those were the last remaining giant clams that we saw in Bajo de Masinloc,” Philippine coast guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said at a news conference.
Related articles
Amir Khan's £11.5m luxury wedding venue finally hosts its first marriage: Bride arrives on horse
Amir Khan's £11.5million luxury wedding venue has finally hosted its first marriage after a series o2024-05-21- SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Federal Election Commission has fined the campaign fund of a former Ill2024-05-21
Jenifer Lewis reveals she was 'still on morphine' while performing on The Masked Singer after near
Jennifer Lewis revealed she was 'still on morphine' while performing on The Masked Singer after suff2024-05-21China issues guidelines on region
BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China has rolled out guidelines on a more region-specific approach to2024-05-21Everybody may love Raymond, but Ray Romano loves Peter Boyle
NEW YORK (AP) — “Baffling” is how Ray Romano calls the continued success of “Everybody Loves Raymond2024-05-21QB Penix hears from Cousins, Vick after landing with Falcons as NFL draft first
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Michael Penix Jr., the biggest surprise of the NFL draft’s first round, r2024-05-21
atest comment