The Philippines’ Bajo de Masinloc also known as Scarborough Shoal suffers from China’s giant clam fishing activities, according to Sealight Project Director and retired US Air Force Col. Ray Powell.
“Under Chinese law, you’re allowed to traffic in giant clam shells as long as the giant clam is dead. Well, that’s fine for the giant clam because, of course, it’s dead already, but it’s not fine for the reef, which is what actually suffers during the giant clam harvesting process,” Powell said.
Speaking at a forum on Scarborough Shoal on Tuesday, Powell said when Beijing seized Bajo de Masinloc in 2012, Chinese vessels used a method called “propeller dragging” to harvest giant clams, which caused damage to reefs.
This issue was raised by the Philippine government when preparing for the Arbitral Tribunal case against China. The practiced temporarily stopped thereafter, but harvesting continued using high-pressure water pumps, a less overt but still destructive method.
“We saw briefly after the arbitral tribunal… propeller dragging seemed to come to an end. However, that did not mean that the giant clam harvesting came to an end,” Powell noted.
“The reason we highlight giant clam harvesting is it is a particularly destructive method of getting at resources around reefs,” he added.
Reports from Powell revealed that in 2017, Hainan Province banned the giant clam trade, but it persisted underground. The focus shifted to clam shells, valued for jewelry and statuettes. Companies like “Nanyang Star” became prominent in this trade, sourcing clam shells from the shoal.
The maritime defense expert also questioned China’s ecological assessment report claiming the shoal was in “excellent condition,” omitting any reference to past clam harvesting activities.
“So, obviously, we believe very strongly that China is not telling the truth about its assessment, that it actually found significant damage, and that it recognizes that unless it takes care of the shoal, that everybody else is going to soon know how bad the damage has been,” Powell said.
On Tuesday, National Security Council (NSC) Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said any attempt by China to undertake construction to militarize Bajo de Masinloc will be considered as crossing a “red line.”