This vessel was sighted by a Japanese coast guard vessel operating with LU RONG YU YUN 56219 and ZHOU YU 656 at 42˚11.9'N, 151˚14.6'E on 30 Sep 2016. Photographs taken of the incident show this vessel displaying the port of Fungcheng. Communication between Japanese patrol vessel and LU RONG YU YUN 56219 indicated ZHOU YU 653 were transhipping 1500t of mackerel together with ZHOU YU 656. Vessel flag and ownership details are unknown. Due to this evidence, this vessel was included in the NPFC IUU List in July 2017. Sources show this vessel operates seasonally in international waters in the Northwest Indian Ocean from October to May and the Pacific Northwest for the remainder of the year.
