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
Why US Catholics are planning pilgrimages in communities across the nation
A long-planned series of Catholic pilgrimages has begun across the United States this weekend, with2024-05-21Winter Sports Take Root in Dual
Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-05-21Team China Wins Bronze in Women's 3000m Relay
Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-05-21China Pledges to Further Support Employment of People Emerging from Poverty
Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-05-21Ohio judge to rule Monday on whether the state’s abortion ban stands
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A county judge could rule as early as Monday on Ohio’s law banning virtually a2024-05-21- Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-05-21
atest comment