Rare Yangtze fish sells high

    The Yangtze saury, a once commonly seen fish and one of the three famous breeds* of the Yangtze River, has seen its numbers heavily depleted* and is now being sold for up to 16,000 yuan (US$2,540) per kilogram.

    Due to overfishing and pollution, the amount of Yangtze saury harvested in Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, by the river has dropped dramatically, from 174 tons in 1956, 106 tons in 1987, to less than half a ton in 2011, the city’s local records showed.    

    Chinese skipper shot dead in waters off Palau

    A crew member of a Chinese vessel that had allegedly poached* giant clams* off the waters of Palau was shot dead by police after a confrontation on April 3.

    The fisherman died in a hail of bullets designed to stop the Chinese vessel fishing, while five men, all believed to be Chinese, were taken from the burning ship and have been charged with unlawful entry and illegal fishing in Palau waters, according to charges filed by Palau Chief Assistant Attorney General Timothy McGillicuddy.      

    Smuggling kingpin* stands trial

    Lai Changxing, the alleged kingpin of a notorious smuggling ring, went on trial on April 6 for smuggling and bribery at the Xiamen Intermediate People’s Court.

    Lai, 53, the chief suspect in smuggling operations that date back to the 1990s in Xiamen, Fujian Province, fled to Canada about 13 years ago. After being repatriated* to China on July 23, 2011, he was arrested and investigated for smuggling and bribery.      

    Chinese crew escape from hijackers

    The crew of a hijacked Chinese cargo ship were praised on Saturday for their bravery and quick thinking in helping thwart* a hijacking by Somali pirates off the southern coast of Iran.

    The Iranian Navy rescued all 28 crew members on Friday, less than nine hours after the Panamanian-registered Xianghuamen, owned by the Nanjing Ocean Shipping Company, was seized 20 nautical miles south of the Iranian port of Chabahar.

    (SD-Agencies)