China Dominates 44% of Visible Fishing Activity Worldwide

Scale of Chinese Fishing & Data Disputes

• Some commenters accept the 44% “visible fishing effort” figure as evidence of outsized Chinese impact, especially via distant-water fleets and “dark” vessels that switch off AIS and enter others’ EEZs at night.
• Others argue the headline is misleading: they claim only ~10% of global wild catch is Chinese offshore catch, most Chinese seafood is from domestic aquaculture, and think tanks inflate distant‑water fleet counts and hours by questionable methods and by treating disputed waters as foreign EEZs.
• There is agreement that data quality is problematic: AIS is easily spoofed; some ocean regions have AIS feeds that are “almost 100% fake,” often using Chinese IDs. Multiple sources (AIS, VMS, SAR, optical) must be fused, and coverage is still patchy.

Aquaculture, Fish Farming & “Engineered” Fisheries

• China’s massive aquaculture (caged ocean farms, bays full of oysters, atoll-based systems) is noted as already dominant and a key element of Chinese food security.
• Critics point out farmed fish often depend on wild fish for feed and can harm local ecosystems (e.g., caged salmon in Tasmania). Onshore/closed systems and “engineered” nutrient cycling in ocean deserts are suggested but described as technically and economically challenging.
• Some species (e.g., sharks, squid) are said to be poor aquaculture candidates, limiting substitution.

Environmental Damage & Ethics of Eating Animals

• Bottom trawling is repeatedly condemned as ecologically “horrendous,” with suggestions of deploying concrete blocks to physically block trawlers.
• Overfishing, trawling, and intensive farming are framed as jointly destroying marine ecosystems; some argue that fishing itself may one day be seen as morally unacceptable.
• Others insist “people are going to eat salmon/fish” regardless; they say merely calling for reduction without providing attractive alternatives is politically and socially futile, especially in East Asia where fish is central to diet and health.

Policy Tools: Taxes, Reserves, and Consumption

• One camp favors Pigouvian taxes on fish, beef, fossil fuels, etc. to price in externalities and fund restoration or rebates. Critics say this just makes fish a luxury for the rich and hurts the poor first.
• Marine protected areas and large no‑take reserves (e.g., Papahānaumokuākea) are proposed as a proven way to rebuild stocks and increase catches outside reserve boundaries; suggestions include reserving ~30% of the ocean.
• Some suggest simply “eating the fish in your own waters” and shifting diets away from animal products due to energy inefficiency and climate impacts.

Enforcement, IUU Fishing & Geopolitics

• Commenters describe tactics attributed to Chinese fleets: AIS-off incursions into places like the Galápagos EEZ, transshipment to reefers to launder illegal catch, and exploiting small states’ limited patrol capacity.
• Others counter that many distant‑water nations (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Spain, the U.S.) also engage in IUU‑adjacent behavior, AIS disabling, or laundered catch, but receive less media scrutiny.
• The U.S. Coast Guard’s bilateral enforcement agreements with Pacific islands are highlighted as a significant, if geopolitically charged, response to IUU fishing. Several see Washington think‑tank reports on China as part of broader strategic messaging and “lawfare.”

Broader Concerns: Overuse, Misery, and Population

• Some zoom out to argue that the root problem is global overconsumption and human population pressure, not just China.
• Others focus on the “mind‑boggling” level of suffering in global seafood supply chains, including alleged forced labor in processing plants, alongside the suffering of marine animals themselves.