Taiwan to seek consultation with the U.S. on continued cooperation on combating IUU fishing
- Update
- 2021-08-17
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Taiwan to seek consultation with the U.S. on continued cooperation on combating IUU fishing
On August 12, 2021, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce submitted to Congress the 2021 Report on Improving International Fisheries Management, in which Taiwan, along with other 6 nations, is identified as a nation with vessels engaging in illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing activities. In addition, 29 nations and entities, including Taiwan, are identified as not adopting measures to mitigate the bycatch of sea turtles that are comparable in effectiveness to those of the U.S. The Fisheries Agency of Taiwan indicates that combating IUU fishing has been a longstanding policy of the Taiwan Government. As regards the alleged IUU activities pointed out in the Report, the Agency will promptly initiate the consultation with the U.S., and in the meantime conduct investigation on potential vessels involved. Based on the evidence of IUU fishing activities, the Agency will impose sanctions pursuant to the Act for Distant Water Fisheries.
Content of the 2021 Report on Improving International Fisheries Management related to Taiwan
According to the Fisheries Agency, the 2021 Report indicated that, on the basis of reports of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that interviewed foreign crew working aboard Taiwan flagged fishing vessels, a total of 13 Taiwan vessels had violated conservation and management measures, such as fin-to-carcass ratio of sharks, prohibited shark species, and transshipment, of the Western 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 of 2018 – 2020. Taiwan is therefore being identified as having fishing vessels engaged in IUU fishing activities. However, the U.S. has not contacted Taiwan with respect to the alleged fishing vessels before. Furthermore, the Report stated that ICCAT had not implemented bycatch measures effectively to end or reduce bycatch of sea turtle in longline fisheries. Hence, the U.S. assessed whether nations had adopted regulatory programs for their longline fisheries designed to end or reduce such bycatch that are comparable in effectiveness to that of the U.S. After the assessment, the U.S. identified Taiwan as well as other 28 nations and entities as not having management measures in place to reduce bycatch of sea turtles in longline fisheries that were comparable in effectiveness to those of the U.S., such as the use of large circle hooks of certain size and specifications.
Taiwan keeps consulting with the U.S.
The Agency states that, pursuant to the domestic legislation, the U.S. will consult with the countries identified in the Report for the purpose of certifying in the 2023 Report whether those countries have taken corrective actions. The Fisheries Agency of Taiwan will keep consulting with the relevant U.S. authorities on measures to effectively reduce bycatch of sea turtles. As to the alleged IUU activities, Taiwan has not been notified by the U.S. of the vessels names and related information, and the alleged cases took place 2 to 3 years ago. To facilitate the investigation, the Agency will contact the U.S. through all possible means to obtain further details.
Taiwan commits to complying with international order, and gives zero tolerance to illegal fishing activities
The Agency reiterates that, being one of the countries that utilize fisheries resources on the high seas, Taiwan has actively participated in the relevant regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) and devoted itself to fulfilling the flag State responsibilities, with the aim of sustainable development of distant water fisheries. As a result of the efforts exerted, none of the fishing vessels flying the flag of Taiwan has been listed on the IUU Vessel List of any RFMO in recent years. NGOs have informed the Agency of possible infringements based on interviews with crew working onboard Taiwanese vessels, and, for those alleged cases, the Agency has verified whether the violations did happen by means of port inspections, interviewing crewmembers, etc. Upholding the principle of initiating investigations based on concrete clues and addressing cases in a fair and just manner, the Agency will grant no quarter to violators in accordance with the Act for Distant Water Fisheries. Moreover, the Agency will keep reviewing, and, where appropriate, adjust its control and monitoring capacity, to ensure the implementation and enforcement of both RFMOs’ measures as well as the domestic legislation.
Contact Point: Deputy Director-General Mr. Kuo-Ping Lin
E-mail: kuoping@ms1.fa.gov.twLink