In 2001, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) approved the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU), requesting States to develop their national plan of action, to achieve the objective of IPOA to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing.

Taiwan’s NPOA-IUU is developed in accordance with the provisions of the IPOA-IUU. Its contents include all States responsibilities, flag States responsibilities, coastal States measures, port States measures, internationally agreed market-related measures, research, adoption of conservation and management measures within the framework of regional fisheries management organizations, and supportive of the special requirements of developing countries. In particular, the NPOA-IUU explicates the legislative framework and monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) measures in Taiwan’s fisheries management, including the control of nationals to ensure they do not conduct and support IUU fishing activities.

Through international instruments or regional fisheries management organizations, Taiwan recognizes the fact that measures to ensure sustainable utlization of marine fisheries resources are obligations with binding force. Taiwan will revise, if deemed necessary, the contents of the NPOA-IUU, to ensure effective prevention, deterrence and elimination of IUU fishing.