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. |
Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg hit backHorrific moment Orange County man dropkicks tiny puppy down the streetMel B looks incredible in a red cutWill there be a 'superbloom' this year in California? Here's what to knowReds pitcher Frankie Montas injured in the first inning against the AngelsJimmy Vesey and Artemi Panarin lead Rangers to 4Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan stuns in glittering black gown as she holds hands with coLuis Gil gets 1st big league win in 3 years, pitches Yankees over Rays 5Jimmy Vesey and Artemi Panarin lead Rangers to 4Rosanna Arquette gushes over Pulp Fiction co