HARD-HITTING:The act designates 19 activities as ‘major violations’ that can incur fines of up to NT$30 million and see fishing licenses suspended for up to two years
Taipei Times
Date: Jul 06, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter
The legislature yesterday passed the Act Governing Distant Water Fisheries (遠洋漁業條例) as well
The catch from a distant-water fishing vessel is lifted in Kaohsiung on July 1, 2014. Photo: Huang Chien-hua, Taipei Times
as amendments to the Fisheries Act (漁業法) and the Ordinance to Govern Investment in the Operation of Foreign Flag Fishing Vessels (投資經營非我國籍漁船管理條例), tightening regulations and raising the fines for illegal fishing, “fish laundering” and other significant violations.
The EU on Oct. 1 last year issued a “yellow card” to Taiwan following the discovery of a Taiwanese fishing vessel violating shark finning regulations in international waters and threatened to issue a “red card,” which could prompt an EU embargo on Taiwanese seafood exports, which would seriously damage the country’s fishing industry, should the nation fail to improve its legal framework and take corrective measures.
The government has since made an effort to work with the legislature to draft a bill governing the nation’s distant water fisheries. The Executive Yuan came to an agreement with the legislature on the draft bill on Monday last week and the legislative caucuses reached a final consensus on Wednesday last week. [FULL STORY]
