The Dragon as a Fisherman: China’s Distant Water Fishing Fleet and the Export of Environmental Insecurity

China has been a coastal fishing nation known for targeting “trash fish,” which are smaller, less valuable coastal and bottom-dwelling species. Over the last thirty years, the country’s fishing activities have evolved considerably as China has grown increasingly reliant on a growing Distant Water Fishing (DWF) fleet to provide for the steadily rising domestic demand for wild-caught fish. The goal of this study is to explore the possible environmental security implications of China’s large and growing DWF fleet.