On 15 August 2017, the Council of Agriculture(COA) of the Executive Yuan hosted a Press Conference to announce the First Wave of Penalties on Violations relating to Illegal Fishing Activities for Combating IUU Fishing and ensuring Sustainability of Fisheries Resources. During the press conference the results of penalties and photographs of seizures of violating fishing vessels were shown, demonstrating to Taiwan’s nationals and the international society Taiwan’s determination in combating IUU fishing, as well as exercising effective fisheries management.

Application of Comprehensive Control Measures, and Implementation of Effective Fisheries Management

　　The COA stated that in October 2015, the European Union listed Taiwan as a country not cooperative in combating IUU fishing with issuing of a warning yellow card . To enable early lifting of the yellow card, the Council has taken a series of actions in strengthening Taiwan’s fisheries management. This press conference thus focused on the announcement of the first wave of penalties and examples of violation cases, showing the efforts and the work accomplished at the present stage by the government of Taiwan to combat IUU fishing.

　　The COA pointed out that in addressing European Union’s listing of Taiwan as a country not cooperative in combating IUU fishing with issuing of a warning yellow card , the Council’s actions to combat IUU fishing have been conducted in 4 directions: 1. Strengthening of the legal framework – Establishment of the three Distant Water Fisheries Acts and their implementing regulations; 2. Improvement of the monitoring, control and surveillance system – Installation of e-logbook, establishment of an 24-hour fishing vessel monitoring center, and establishment of an integrated information system for marine fisheries; 3. Strengthening of traceability system on sea-products – in order to trace the source of legitimate sea-products, the strategic plan on the auditing of businesses relating to distant water fisheries was implemented, and an integrated MCS system were developed; 4. Strengthening of international cooperation – Engagement of fisheries cooperation was promoted with the 21 countries having close relationship with Taiwan’s fisheries, and compliance with the measures adopted by the relevant international fisheries organizations was enhanced. This year, as of to-date, 85 cases of violations have been sanctioned in accordance with the fisheries regulations under the old fisheries acts, and sanctions on 24 cases of violations have been enforced in accordance with the fisheries regulations under the Act for Distant Water Fisheries.

Combating IUU fishing for sustainable utilization of fisheries resources

　　The COA emphasized that Taiwan has exerted tremendous efforts on the management of its fishing fleet, and hopefully by taking such measures and actions, fishing activities that are harmful to fisheries resources will have nowhere to hide, thus safeguarding fair fishing of law abiding fishermen, while enabling sustainability of the resources as well as the industry.

Contact point: Hung-Yen Huang, Deputy Director-General, Fisheries Agency
Telephone:     02-2383599
Mobile phone: 0920-089165
E-mail:            hangyen@ms1.fa.gov.tw

Combating Illegal Fishing and Sustainable Water Fisheries