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
'The Apprentice,' about a young Donald Trump, premieres in Cannes
CANNES, France (AP) — While Donald Trump’s hush money trial entered its sixth week in New York, an o2024-05-21Two Premier League stars, both 19, arrested in a rape probe are 'suspended by their club'
Two Premier League stars who were both arrested in a police rape probe have now reportedly been susp2024-05-21Why AP called the Pennsylvania 12th District primary for Summer Lee
WASHINGTON (AP) — In her primary victory Tuesday in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District, firs2024-05-21Jury sides with school system in suit accusing it of ignoring middle
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A jury on Wednesday rejected a woman’s lawsuit seeking tens of millions of do2024-05-21Burglar hurled stolen mobile phones at police from the top of 60ft high roof during nine
A burglar hurled stolen mobile phones at police officers from the top of a roof during a nine-hour s2024-05-21More than 1 in 4 US adults over age 50 say they expect to never retire, an AARP study finds
WASHINGTON (AP) — More than one-quarter of U.S. adults over age 50 say they expect to never retire a2024-05-21
atest comment