The Korea Coast Guard says fewer Chinese vessels fished illegally in South Korean waters this year during the period when blue crab catches are banned.
 
According to the Coast Guard's Incheon office on Monday, an average of 54 Chinese vessels were caught every day in the Yellow Sea near the Northern Limit Line(NLL) between July first and August 17th. That’s down 29 percent from last year.
 
Over the 48-day period, a total of two-thousand-577 Chinese ships fished illegally near the NLL.
 
In particular, during the first ten days of the banned period, 70 Chinese vessels fished illegally near the NLL every day compared to the 150 last year.
 
A coast guard official said the drop apparently resulted from a strengthened crackdown on illegal fishing starting in June.