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
Elon Musk gets approval from FDA to implant his Neuralink brain chip into a second patient
Elon Musk’s Neuralink has been given a green light to implant its brain chip in a second patient aft2024-05-21Connecticut Democrats unanimously nominate U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy for a third term
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut Democrats unanimously endorsed U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy for a thi2024-05-21Meghan delights locals as she poses for selfies on 'quasi
Meghan mania continued in Nigeria as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended a sitting volleyball ma2024-05-21A rural Ugandan community is a hot spot for sickle cell disease. But one patient gives hope
MBALE, Uganda (AP) — Barbara Nabulo was one of three girls in her family. But when a sister died, he2024-05-21Six killed in a 'foiled coup' in Congo, the army says
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Six people were killed and dozens arrested following attacks on the residence2024-05-21Rise in UK knife attacks leads to a crackdown and stokes public anxiety
LONDON (AP) — A familiar horror reached Pooja Kanda first on social media: There had been a sword at2024-05-21
atest comment