Provisions of the Fisheries Act have been amended, permitting distant water fishing vessels operating in fishing areas subject to high risks of piracy or illegal armed forces, to employ private armed security personnel.

1. Objective: The permit of employing private armed security personnel on board distant water fishing vessels operating in fishing areas where there are high risks of piracy or illegal armed forces has been granted to protect the life of personnel and their property on board distant water fishing vessels.

2. Policy:

1) A fishery operator whose fishing vessel has been authorized to fish in those areas with high risks of piracy or illegal armed forces (currently announced areas are north of 10 degrees S. and west of 78 degrees E. in the Indian Ocean), may employ private armed security personnel provided by private maritime security companies.

2) Any fishery operator who intends to employ private armed security personnel should fill in letter of notification for each of his vessels, accompanying such documents as copy of fishing license, plan of employment, insurance plan, and submit to the central competent authority for perusal 7 days prior to the employment.

3) To avoid private armed security personnel and the firearms, ammunition and knives they carry, entering into the territory of Taiwan, whereby jeopardizing the law and order of the country, the fishery operator should instruct the private armed security personnel he employs to embark and disembark the vessel at foreign ports, along with the firearms, ammunition and knives they carry, and they are not permitted to enter into the terriotry of Taiwan other than the areas the fishing vessel under protection has been previously notified.

4) Any fishery operator who has employed private armed security personnel without prior notification to the central competent authority, or has failed to embark and disembark at foreign ports private armed security personnel under employment, along with the firearms, ammunition and knives they carry, or whose vessel has entered into the territory of Taiwan other than the areas the fishing vessel under protection previously notified, is liable to a fine of not more than NT$60,000 but not less than NT$300,000.