A Taiwanese fishing boat has been detained by the Solomon Islands since April for alleged illegal fishing. That’s according to the Liuqiu Fishermen’s Association on Tuesday.
The boat from Pingtung in southern Taiwan was detained for illegal possession of shark fins found by Solomon fishery authorities. The crew is still being held for legal proceedings on the Solomon Islands, a diplomatic ally of Taiwan in the South Pacific.
The crew includes a Taiwanese captain and ten fishermen from Indonesia. They are reported to have freedom of movement and to be in good health.
The foreign ministry said it is in contact with Taiwan’s embassy in the Solomon Islands regarding the situation. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Eleanor Wang said that the case is being handled by the owner of the boat through the Fisheries Agency. Wang said the foreign ministry is on standby for any necessary assistance.
The foreign ministry once again urged Taiwanese fishermen engaged in ocean fishing to abide by international law. The ministry said the European Union has Taiwan on its watch list for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.