Binjiang Police Affairs
Chapter 198 - 159: Director Yu’s Purpose

Chapter 198: Chapter 159: Director Yu’s Purpose

Saying it’s a meeting is an understatement; it’s more like having tea and chatting.

No particular order for seating, no clear topics at hand, and no need for record-keeping—just casual conversation as it flows.

Han Yu once again took on the role of waiter, first pouring tea, then serving up leftover sunflower seeds, peanuts from the New Year, and wedding candy fetched from his eldest martial brother’s place yesterday.

Scholar Yu grabbed him by the arm, laughing, "Salted Fish, stop buzzing around and sit down."

Xu Sanye popped a peanut into his mouth, teasing, "With all this food, it feels like a farewell tea party for Director Zhang. But since he’s only moving up without actually leaving, there’s no sending him off."

Han Yu, puzzled, asked, "Director Zhang, aren’t you supposed to be returning to Binjiang as a deputy director?"

"Who said I was going back to Binjiang?"

Zhang Junyan retorted with a question and smiled, "I’m not going back to Binjiang. I was the director of Bailong Port Police Station before, and I still am."

Seeing Little Salted Fish looking utterly confused, Zhou Hong explained, "Director Zhang is concurrently serving as a deputy chief and director."

Being both a deputy chief and still having to serve as director, Han Yu couldn’t grasp the significance of this promotion; was it just a pay raise...

Zhang Junyan had no desire to continue discussing himself, and out of curiosity asked, "Director Xu, where are Old Li and Old Zhang?"

"They took off early in the morning with the household registration documents to the bureau. They should be in the midst of handling the handover at the household registration division now."

"Household registration division... isn’t household registration managed by the security team?"

"One minute it is, the next it isn’t—these are questions for Director Yu, not me; I genuinely don’t understand."

"Household registration and security keep splitting and merging; merges and splits—I’m just as lost as to why it keeps changing."

Overwhelmed by his own affairs, Scholar Yu simply hadn’t the energy to meddle in others’ business. He took out a notice document recently issued by the provincial government from his briefcase.

Xu Sanye took the document, asking with a smile, "Is this notice relevant to us?"

"Check out articles eight and nine."

Scholar Yu chuckled, adding, "Last time, Director Chen from the Provincial Legislature’s Legislative Affairs Committee came with heads of related departments to inspect and research the Eel Battle. The intention was to address the issues fundamentally through legislation. I was included in the discussion because they heard about my legal background from the Southwest University of Political Science & Law."

Xu Sanye looked up to ask, "Is this legally binding?"

"Yes, it has the force of local regulations. It’s not set by any one department, but by the Jiangnan Provincial Government. To effectively strengthen the management of eel fry resources, rationally utilize resources, develop the local eel farming, increase exports and foreign exchange, in accordance with the Fishery Law, the Fishery Law Implementation Rules, and Jiangnan Province’s Fishery Law Implementation Measures, this notice addresses related issues concerning eel fry resource management."

"Director Yu, you’re part of the legislative process now!"

"It’s a local regulation, not quite legislation."

"Interesting. Salted Fish, take a look, too."

"Oh."

Han Yu took the document and found at the top was the "Jiangnan Provincial Government Notice on Strengthening the Management of Eel Fry Resources."

The first article was quite strict, prohibiting any unit or individual from fishing for eel fry entering the Yangtze River, inland rivers, lakes, and other inland waters in any way, with violators subjected to legal penalties for their illegal activities!

The second article was also intriguing, requiring a fishing license for those wishing to fish, which would be issued by the Provincial Fisheries Bureau based on the resource situation of eel fry, but limited only to professional fisherman, part-time fishermen, and eel farming entities within the province with the capacity to catch them.

In other words, next year, if you see fishing boats from other provinces fishing for eel fry, it would be safe to assume they’re illegal and directly subject to punishment.

Article eight provides incentives for law enforcement agencies: discover one case, penalize one case. The Fishery Administration imposes fines, confiscates all eel fry, tools and illegal gains, and compensates for resource losses.

Whistleblowers and units or individuals that apprehend illegal activities will be commended and rewarded, with 30 percent of the rewards fee coming from the proceeds of the confiscated eel fry!

Article nine calls for a close collaboration between departments of fisheries, public security, industry and commerce, transportation, foreign trade, water resources, and price regulation. Each shall bear its responsibility to strengthen forces, tighten on-site management, and crack down on illegal fishing and smuggling activities.

"Thirty percent, Director Yu, you’re making a fortune!" Han Yu couldn’t help but laugh.

Zhang Junyan commented, "That’s just from the proceeds of the confiscated eel fry; if you include other things, it’s even more."

In a hurry, Scholar Yu interjected, "It’s not as much as you think. Besides, this was a joint operation with the Linghai Police Bureau, so only half goes to our division."

Not particularly interested in how much revenue could be legally generated, Xu Sanye was nonetheless curious, smiling as he asked, "How much is half?"

"The case isn’t closed yet."

"Give it a rough estimate."

"Fifteen to sixteen thousand should be no problem."

"The city provided six thousand, plus the monetary support from fishery governance, it’s at least twenty-two thousand. Director Yu, Director Zhou, how do you plan to spend this huge sum?" Xu Sanye pressed on.

Scholar Yu had come for this very matter, he hesitated for a moment, then looking up, he said, "Director Xu, we’re not planning to take the fishery governance money."

"Why not take it?"

"They hope we will assist with law enforcement at sea. It’s not that we’re afraid of going offshore, but doing so raises a series of legal issues."

"What legal issues?"

"Maritime security is under the jurisdiction of the Border Guard Coast Guard, also known as the former Marine Police Patrol Team. Now reformed, it’s called the Provincial Department Border Guard Main Corps Coast Guard Brigade. The brigade headquarters is in Dacang, and there’s a team stationed at Dongzao Port in Linghai."

Taking a smoke, Scholar Yu continued, "Going offshore is almost like leaving the country, so seamen need to go to the border police station to process the departure procedures. We’re water police, not coast guard. Do we need to apply for going out to sea, handle appropriate procedures, and do we even have law enforcement authority out there?"

This was indeed a very practical problem.

Xu Sanye was at a loss for what to say next when Scholar Yu continued, "Moreover, marine fisheries have biological habits like reproduction, foraging, and winter migration, which mean a single fishing ground is likely to have fishing boats from several provinces and cities operating at the same time. It’s inevitable that local marine fishing enterprises and individuals will conflict with fishing boats from other places."

Zhang Junyan subconsciously asked, "Can’t we just ban outside fishing boats from coming to our Binjiang Sea Area to fish for eel fry like we banned others?"

"It’s not just about outsiders, but also foreigners."

Scholar Yu tapped his cigarette ash helplessly and said, "My research shows that the current fishing vessels operating in the East Sea Zone can be summed up as ’Three Countries and Six Parties’: our own Chinese fishing boats, those from Taiwan Province, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as those from South Korea, North Korea, and Japan. Do you think our small Water Police Division can wade into these muddy waters?"

Xu Sanye nodded, "It seems the hot potato of fishery management is better dropped."

"I’ve spoken to them already; next year, we’ll continue to assist them in cracking down on illegal eel fry fishing, with the rewards for uncovering illegal activities to be calculated according to the clauses in the new notification just issued by the province. In addition, they’ll sponsor us with twenty thousand in funds for the year."

"Do what you can with what you have, that sounds pretty good."

"As for how to use the funds, Political Commissioner Wang has an idea."

"What idea?" Xu Sanye could almost be certain that Wang Xiazhi was up to something shifty; otherwise he wouldn’t have conveyed his thoughts through Scholar Yu’s mouth, not daring to approach Xu Sanye directly.

Scholar Yu exchanged a glance with Zhou Hong, speaking carefully, "Political Commissioner Wang thinks our present location isn’t suitable for working and handling cases. He’s been touring along the riverbank for the past few days, taking the opportunity to report to Director Zhong and even to city leaders several times, seeking to request a plot of land from the city for us."

Han Yu realized that Wang Xiazhi was planning to build an office building and couldn’t help but look towards the station chief.

Xu Sanye did not appear upset and asked, "Which plot does he want?"

"That plot of land to the east of the newly planned building of the Port Supervision Bureau, right on the riverbank, not far from the piece of land that Customs just requested. If we could build our office there, we could later make use of the Port Supervision Bureau’s planned new ship mooring docks."

"Will the city approve?"

"The land along the riverbank is undesirable to most; the cost of land requisition is not high, so Director Zhong said there should be no big problem."

Although Binjiang is on the Yangtze River, the actual downtown area is some distance away from the Yangtze. Only organizations like the Port Authority and Port Supervision Bureau are by the river; other units aren’t willing to go there.

Xu Sanye fell silent for a moment, then asked with a smile, "Director Yu, Director Zhou, what are your thoughts?"

"I think it’s feasible."

"I also think it’s possible, especially since we are the Water Police Division, we definitely need to be by the river and can’t always stay by the inland river. Besides, our current working environment really isn’t satisfactory; during the first couple of days I was there, I almost vomited."

"Two hundred thousand should be enough to build a building."

"Director Xu, do you agree?"

"What kind of question is that? I’m just a nominal member of the party committee, can I even oppose?"

Xu Sanye smiled a little, then continued, "Besides, if I can spend three or four hundred thousand to build a dunship, why can’t you use two hundred thousand to build a building?"

Scholar Yu couldn’t believe Xu Sanye was so agreeable and asked with some skepticism, "Director Xu, you really have no objections?"

"No objections, really no objections."

"I almost forgot, Political Commissioner Wang is planning not only on building an office building but also a residential building behind it. After all, we’re a new unit and the personnel are all new police officers; it’s hard to count on the City Bureau to solve the housing issue. Given the hard work and low pay, making a big decision is the only way to retain people."

"Do we have enough money?"

"Not quite, but we will find a way to resolve this."

"How will this be resolved?" Xu Sanye inquired further.

Scholar Yu took a deep breath, gathering his courage to say, "We can’t rely on the chance of making a large sum next year by cracking down on illegal eel fry fishing, trading, or even smuggling like we did this year. We plan to assist the Port Supervision in law enforcement and at the same time strengthen water security, especially the management of waterborne household registrations."

"How do you plan to strengthen that?"

"Organize police forces, accompany Port Supervision law enforcement boats to the Binjiang Ship Lock and gateways like Zhanghuang Port to inspect passing vessels. While checking for Seaman’s Certificates, we’ll also gather information on the whereabouts of water bandits."

One didn’t need to ask to know that the Port Supervision Bureau must have tasted the benefits from collaborating with the Third Team of Port Supervision and planned to extend it further, even promising to provide funding.

As long as they participated, with so many ship locks along Yanjiang, with so many ships entering and exiting the Yangtze River every day, they would definitely find many crew members without Seaman’s Certificates.

A fine of five yuan might seem trivial, but when multiplied by a large number of checks, it would accumulate significantly.

What’s more important is that from the angle of cracking down on water bandits, policing the ship locks by the river would indeed provide clues that were previously unobtainable.

Xu Sanye took several drags of his cigarette and smiled, "This strategy is good. If necessary, you can take the 002 away."

Money was prioritized for constructing office buildings and residential buildings rather than for law enforcement vessels; he was expected to oppose firmly. In fact, it was because of the fear of his opposition that Political Commissioner Wang did not dare come over today.

Scholar Yu couldn’t believe his ears and was stunned for a while before asking softly, "Director Xu, you really support this?"

"If I say I support it, I support it. Do I look like I’m joking?" Xu Sanye retorted, then turned and pointed to Han Yu, "When the residential building is ready, remember to reserve a set for Little Salted Fish. His sister and brother-in-law live in the Port Authority, and Han Xiangning also works at the Port Supervision Bureau. Han Xiangning’s family is not far from the Port Supervision Bureau, so it would be very convenient to have a place of his own nearby."

Scholar Yu was stunned and then laughed, "No problem."

Having a home of his own onshore, especially one close to the Port Authority in Binjiang, was beyond Han Yu’s belief, and he couldn’t help asking, "Director Yu, is this a joint funding construction?"

"Yes, if the land really can be approved, the division will subsidize a part of the construction funds."

"How much will individuals have to contribute?"

"It depends on the type of house, mainly on the size of the house. Political Commissioner Wang has estimated that it should not cost more than three hundred yuan per square meter."

Xu Sanye knew he was worried about money, turned back and smiled, "Little Salted Fish, money is not the issue. Plus, this is still up in the air; even if we manage to build it, it won’t be finished until at least three years from now. By then, you should have saved quite a bit of money, and even if there’s a shortfall, it won’t be much."

"Yeah, money is not the issue," Scholar Yu agreed while patting him on the shoulder, smiling at Han Xiangning who just passed by the door.