On June 1st, a Taiwanese fishing vessel, CHUAN I SHIN , ran aground on Beveridge Reef, Niue, and was later on destroyed by fire. Upon the receipt of the emergency notice, the Fisheries Agency of Taiwan immediately arranged rescue for crews on the vessel and maintained communication with the Niue Government to facilitate the follow-up settlement.

  The crew safety is the Fisheries Agency’s foremost concern. Just after receiving the report from the fishery radio station, the Fisheries Agency required and coordinated other Taiwanese vessels to conduct prompt rescue for the crew members on F/V CHUAN I SHIN. Fortunately, all eleven (11) crew members servicing on F/V CHUAN I SHIN, including one (1) Taiwanese captain, one (1) Taiwanese observer, and nine (9) Indonesian crew members, have been rescued, and their safety has been ensured.

  The Fisheries Agency has informed the vessel owner about the incidents and related details. The Fisheries Agency will keep tracking the follow-up of this incident, and provide necessary assistance where needed.

  After investigation, the Fisheries Agency confirms that F/V CHUAN I SHIN was heading towards other fishing grounds without fishing operation while passing the Niue EEZ. The E-logbook data suggest that F/V CHUAN I SHIN had around 500kg catch onboard the vessel at the time it ran aground, and none of this catch was harvested during its passage in the Niue EEZ.

  Regarding the removal of the F/V CHUAN I SHIN, the Fisheries Agency will make its best effort to facilitate effective communication among stakeholders. The Fisheries Agency has contacted the Niue Government and provided relevant information as required to assist their investigation. In addition, due to the language barrier that may exist between the vessel owner and the Niue authority, the Fisheries Agency of Taiwan will also provide assistance to facilitate communication among the concerned parties.

  At last, the Fisheries Agency of Taiwan emphasizes that it is its long-term policy to secure the safety of crew members as well as to ensure the protection and conservation of marine environments. To this end, as the authority of the flag state, the Fisheries Agency of Taiwan will continue to work jointly with the relevant stakeholders to facilitate that this incident is settled in a fair and impartial manner.

　　　　Contact Point: Deputy Director-General Mr. Kuo-Ping Lin

　　　　E-mail: kuoping@ms1.fa.gov.tw