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. |
She means business! Rita Ora steps out in chic tailored threeCensors block blogger after caller asks 'Is Xi Jinping a dictator?' — Radio Free AsiaMan United player Garnacho apologizes for liking critical posts about Ten HagRuud advances to Barcelona semis after beating Arnaldi in straight setsThe US attempts a new military deal with Niger in a last ditch effort to stayBNSF Railway says it didn't know about asbestos that's killed hundreds in Montana townEric Bana gets animated during AFL game between the St Kilda Saints and the Western BulldogsPregnant Rooney Mara dresses her baby bump in headTaylor Swift channels her bridal Grammy look in Fortnight video teaserTaylor Swift 'calls out Kadarius Toney' on The Tortured Poets Department song about Travis Kelce