This plant is owned by Hong Dong Fishing. This parent company has had legal access to Mauritania’s waters since 2010, following a 25-year agreement signed between Poly Hong Dong and then-President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz, that granted the company exclusive rights to fish in the region.1 However, the agreement sparked significant controversy, particularly among local fishers. Many felt that the deal led to overfishing and the depletion of fish stocks, which threatened their livelihood.2
Many locals were upset about the privileges granted by the Mauritanian government to the fishmeal factory. The factory received its license to produce fishmeal under undisclosed conditions, reported the magazine SouthWorld, and it was granted permission to build its own fish farm directly across from the facility. This approval was reportedly largely thanks to the factory’s local partner, who has business connections with the Mauritanian president’s family.3
The agreement sparked protests in June 2011. In one incident fishers threw eggs at lawmakers who had voted to approve the deal.4 Local fishers complained about a lack of transparency in the deal and the growing presence of foreign trawlers in Mauritanian waters. Tensions increased in early September 2020, after a Chinese trawler collided with a Mauritanian artisanal fishing boat, causing the death of three fishers. Local fishers called for Mauritania’s government to expel foreign trawlers and to ensure better protection for local fishers. The Chinese vessel was owned by the Poly Hondok Co., according to a report by Nouadhibou Today*.* “The Chinese company is also known as Poly Hondone, Poly Hondong and Fuzhou Hong Dong Yuan Yang,” as reported in an October 2020 Africa Defense Forum article.5 Poly Hong Dong operated what it claimed to be China’s largest overseas fishery base as of 2020, shipping 10,000 tons of seafood a year to Europe and the US, and also produced fishmeal, according to Seafood Source.6
In August 2024, Mauritanian President, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, replaced prime minister, Ismail Ould Bedda Ould Cheikh Sidiya, following an investigation into former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz’s administration, which included allegations of irregularities involving Chinese fishing company, Poly Hong Dong's, operations in Mauritanian waters, according to Africa News.7
At least 21 ships tied to this plant were reportedly involved in at least 175 cases of illegal fishing, according to an investigation by The Outlaw Ocean Project. This included ships fishing without a license, failing to transmit their location, and suspected transshipment.
Fuzhou Hong Dong International operates the Fu Yuan Yu 802, 805, 807, 808, 809, 811, 812, 813, 951, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 958, 965, 967, 968, 969, 971, 972, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, 9507, 9508, 9509, 9510, and 9511; Hong Dong 8707, 8708, and 8709; and Mamuti Orhan, Cinar Ibrahim, and Nesislah 1, according to the Fisheries Ministry.8 Hong Dong International was also the consignee of the Durcin Cinaroglu-3, according to Mauritanian Fishery authorities.9
Many ships belonging to Fuzhou Hong Dong International seem to have engaged in violations of Mauritanian laws. At least 16 fishing vessels owned by the company engaged in what was likely transshipment behavior at least 160 times over a period between 2019 and 2024, according to OceanMind, a maritime investigations firm. These vessels included: Fu Yuan Yu 951, 952, 956, 967, 968, 974, 976, 977, 802, 805, 807, 808, 809, 811, 812, and 9507. At least 11 ships owned by the company were detected fishing in Mauritanian waters without a license in 2016, according to Automatic Identification System, AIS, tracks and data from Oceana. These ships included Fu Yuan Yu 802, 808, 809, 811, 812, 813, 965, 967, 968, 969, and 971.10
The Neslislah 1: Although transshipment is banned in Mauritanian waters, the Neslislah 1 engaged in what OceanMind, a maritime investigations firm, said was likely transshipment behavior in at least one incident in 2021.11 In September 2022, the Neslislah 1 was involved in another illegal transshipment, with the Mirem, according to Mauritanian news outlet Carrefour de la République Islamique de Mauritanie.12 The Neslislah 1 is operated by the Fuzhou Hong Dong Pelagic Fishery Company.13
The Fu Yuan Yu 956: In 2020, the Fu Yuan Yu 956 turned off its transponder for over a week while fishing, in violation of IMO regulations and Mauritanian law.14
The Fu Yuan Yu 809: Between 2024 and 2025, the Fu Yuan Yu 809 turned off its transponder for over a month while fishing, in violation of IMO regulations and Mauritanian law.15
Hong Dong did not respond to a request for comment.16