China has deployed anew clam-harvesting fleets to the South China Sea in the last six months, including in Scarborough Shoal, according to American-based think-tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI). “These fleets, which typically include dozens of small fishing vessels accompanied by a handful of larger ‘motherships,’ destroy vast swaths of coral reef in order to extract endangered giant clams,” said AMTI in its latest report based on satellite imagery. AMTI said that there was decrease of activities by the “clam-harvesting” boats since 2016 until late 2018. From 2012 to 2015, Chinese clam harvesters severely damaged or destroyed at least 28 reefs across the South China Sea.

Ferreras, V. A. C., & Balinbin, A. L. (2019, May 22). Chinese clam-harvesting in disputed waters seen anew, US think tank says. BusinessWorld, p. S1/10.