VOA标准英语2012--South China Sea Fishermen Caught in Political Net

 

South China Sea Fishermen Caught in Political Net

As a storm approaches, Filipino fishermen in Masinloc work together to pull their boats out of the water.

About 2,000 families here depend on the sea to make a living, but the spat¹ with China at rich fishing grounds in the Scarborough Shoals has taken a toll² on their income.

Miguel Bitana says in just a few days at the disputed Shoals he could earn what took him a week or more fishing in local waters.

“There really is a depletion³ of fish," said Bitana. "It's getting scarcer. That's also one thing that makes us feel bad, that fishing is banned in there but why are the Chinese still fishing there? Why is it that we Filipinos are not allowed to even go there?”

Meanwhile, declining fish stocks around Hong Kong waters have forced fishermen there to venture further into disputed territories, risking conflict and confrontation⁴.

Pang⁵ Wah-kan is Chairman of the Joint⁶ Committee of Hong Kong Fishermen’s organizations.

“We started fishing in the South China Sea in the 1960s," said From then on, several cases are reported that Filipino authorities detained our fishermen and ships and fined them. Some were detained and even confiscated⁷ by Malaysian authorities as well.”

The stand-off started in April when a Philippines Navy ship tried to arrest Chinese fishermen for allegedly harvesting endangered species of sharks and coral.

Chinese surveillance boats intervened and the two sides have since engaged in a war of words.

Nestor Daet is head of a Masinloc fishermen’s watch group that monitors for illegal fishing. 

“I think our government sent about two ships, four? And the other are Philippines coast guard, I think," said Daet. "But, compared to the Naval⁸ ships of Chinese we are no match. It's like David and Goliath.”

Fishermen on both sides say their governments need to come to an agreement so they can all make a living. 

“We should help each other to protect our seas so that ...we can return the stocks, the fish stocks of the sea,” said Jerry Escape, an officer with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic⁹ Resources in Masinloc.

Despite the stand-off, fishermen here say relations with Chinese fishermen have always been so friendly that in the past they would often barter¹⁰ with each other when fishing far from shore.

They hope that tradition continues next fishing season at the disputed Scarborough Shoals. 

1 spat   

n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声

参考例句：

• Her parents always have spats.她的父母经常有些小的口角。
• There is only a spat between the brother and sister.那只是兄妹间的小吵小闹。

2 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

3 depletion   

n.耗尽，枯竭

参考例句：

• Increased consumption of water has led to rapid depletion of groundwater reserves.用水量的增加导致了地下水贮备迅速枯竭。
• Farmers should rotate crops every season to prevent depletion of the soil.农夫每季应该要轮耕，以免耗尽土壤。

4 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

5 pang   

n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷

参考例句：

• She experienced a sharp pang of disappointment.她经历了失望的巨大痛苦。
• She was beginning to know the pang of disappointed love.她开始尝到了失恋的痛苦。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 confiscated   

没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Their land was confiscated after the war. 他们的土地在战后被没收。
• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。

8 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

9 aquatic   

adj.水生的，水栖的

参考例句：

• Aquatic sports include swimming and rowing.水上运动包括游泳和划船。
• We visited an aquatic city in Italy.我们在意大利访问过一个水上城市。

10 barter   

n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易

参考例句：

• Chickens,goats and rabbits were offered for barter at the bazaar.在集市上，鸡、山羊和兔子被摆出来作物物交换之用。
• They have arranged food imports on a barter basis.他们以易货贸易的方式安排食品进口。