South Korea will boost its efforts to crack down on illegal fishing by Chinese ships while also moving to confiscate and retire Chinese boats that are caught fishing illegally in South Korean waters, the government said Thursday.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said it will first increase the number of patrol ships from the current 34 to 50 while also introducing new, large vessels and aircraft that will make up a special task force.

   The move comes as over 2,000 Chinese boats are believed to operate illegally in waters shared by South Korea and China with up to 300 Chinese ships also believed to be entering South Korea's territorial waters during catching seasons.

In 2012 alone, 467 Chinese ships were seized while fishing illegally in South Korean waters, the ministry said earlier.

Currently, seized Chinese ships, along with their crew, are released only after paying fines.

The ministry said the country's 34 patrol ships currently operating were not enough to cover the country's 900-mile maritime boundary.

To help improve the special team's maneuverability, the government will also seek to use unmanned aerial vehicles in monitoring Chinese ships operating in or near South Korean waters.

The move comes in addition to Seoul's diplomatic efforts to curb illegal fishing in waters shared by China.

In their annual fishery agreement signed late last month, South Korea and China agreed to launch a joint inspection of ships operating in a joint fishing zone in waters between the two countries before the year's end.

They also plan to set up check points where fish carriers from both countries will be checked for the amount of their catch in the countries' joint or exclusive waters. (Yonhap)