Cape Town – South African authorities have intercepted four Chinese-flagged fishing vessels that entered the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and territorial waters without the required authorisation.
The owners of the vessels were fined R400 000 before they could be allowed to leave the country.
Revealing the incident for the first time on Thursday, 12 March 2026, Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment Minister Willie Aucamp, stated that he “welcomed the swift and coordinated action” to intercept four Chinese-flagged fishing vessels that entered South Africa’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and territorial waters without the required authorisation.
He said the coordinated action involved the Fisheries Branch of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), working with the South African Police Service (SAPS) Tactical Team.
Minister Aucamp further stated: “South Africa will not tolerate the unlawful use of its maritime zones.
“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.”
The vessels – Zhong Yang 231, Zhong Yang 232, Zhong Yang 233, and Zhong Yang 239 – were placed under guard by 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.
Narrating events leading to the interception, the DFFE said 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 2026.
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.
The DFFE said further investigations 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,” the DFFE said.
“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.
“Based on the available evidence, there were reasonable grounds to suspect non-compliance with the Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998.”
“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 have departed South African waters.”
The DFFE said South Africa remains committed to safeguarding its maritime zones, protecting marine resources, and strengthening international cooperation in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated Fishing.
