In response to the NOAA 2021 report on Improve international fisheries managementThe Taiwan Fisheries Agency said it would initiate consultation with the United States, alongside an investigation into the potential vessels involved.

The NOAA report identified Taiwan among 29 nations, nations and entities as having failed to adopt measures to mitigate sea turtle bycatch comparable in effectiveness to that of the United States.

According to the Taiwan Fisheries Agency, combating IUU fishing has been a long-standing policy of the Taiwanese government. Based on the evidence of IUU fishing activities, the Agency states that it will impose sanctions in accordance with the Distant Waters Fishing Act.

The NOAA report also states that, based on NGO reports, a total of 13 Taiwanese vessels violated conservation and management measures, such as shark fin / carcass ratio, prohibited shark species and transshipment, set by Western countries and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) and International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) during the period 2018-2020 .

As a result, Taiwan is identified as having fishing vessels engaged in IUU fishing activities.

The agency points out that the United States has never contacted Taiwan about the alleged fishing vessels. According to the Fisheries Agency, the United States will consult with the countries identified in the report to certify in the 2023 report whether those countries have taken corrective action. The Agency says it will continue to consult with relevant US authorities on measures to effectively reduce marine turtle bycatch. Regarding alleged IUU activities, Taiwan has not been notified by the United States of vessel names and related information, and these cases occurred two or three years ago.

To facilitate the investigation, the Agency states that it is contacting the United States for further details, and further states that based on evidence of IUU fishing activities, the Agency will impose sanctions in accordance with the Distant Waters Fisheries Act.

A spokesperson for the Agency said that as one of the countries using high seas fisheries resources, Taiwan has actively participated in relevant RFMOs and sought to fulfill its flag state responsibilities. .

“As a result of these efforts, none of the Taiwan-flagged fishing vessels have been placed on an RFMO’s IUU vessel list in recent years. NGOs informed the Agency of possible violations based on interviews with crew members working aboard Taiwanese ships and, for these suspected cases, the Agency verified whether the violations occurred by means of ” port inspections, interviews with crew members, etc. The spokesperson for the Agency mentioned.

Image: WCPFC