The United States, Japan, Australia and India have introduced surveillance systems to monitor China’s illegal fishing.

(Reuters) – The United States, Japan, Australia and India will launch a maritime initiative to curb illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific region at the Quartet Summit in Tokyo, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing a US official.

He said the maritime initiative would use satellite technology to create a surveillance system for illegal fishing from the Indian Ocean to the South Pacific by linking surveillance levels in Singapore and India.

US President Joe Biden is visiting Japan for a four-member meeting of Australia, India, Japan and the United States in Tokyo – which has strengthened cooperation in the face of China’s growing impetus.

According to the Financial Times, the maritime initiative will help these countries curb illegal fishing, even if the boats disable transponders commonly used to monitor vessels.

Earlier this month, US-India Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell said he would soon announce plans to combat illegal fishing in the United States.

Many countries in the Indo-Pacific region are angry at the huge Chinese fishing fleet. They say its ships frequently violate their exclusive economic zones, causing environmental damage and economic losses.

(Report by Akansha Kushi in Bangalore; Editing by Nick Jiminski)