The Cabinet approved a draft amendment Thursday that will impose stiffer penalties for illegal fishing on long distance fleets. That’s in light of warnings about possible trade sanctions by the European Union.
A Taiwanese fishing boat was found fishing illegally in waters near Papua New Guinea last October. The European Commission issued a yellow card warning, saying that Taiwan risks being identified as an uncooperative country in the fight against "illegal, unreported and unregulated " fishing.
Under the draft amendment, violators will face fines of up to NT$30 million (US$914,000). Agriculture Minister Chen Chih-ching explains.
"Firstly, violators will be fined if there is concrete proof they have seriously broken the law but refuse to steer their boat to the designated port for investigation" Chen said. "Secondly, if they continue to go out fishing even though their fishing license has been confiscated, they will be fined if they refuse to steer their boat to the designated port for investigation after we instruct them to do so. These are the two conditions with punitive measures attached."
The EU is giving Taiwan until September to amend its law on illegal fishing by long distance fleets. Once Taiwan does so, it may be taken off the list of countries engaged in “illegal, unreported and unregulated” fishing.