The European Commission on Oct. 1 last year issued a “yellow card” to Taiwan, warning the nation to improve its poorly regulated fishing practices and clamp down on “illegal, unreported and unregulated” fishing activities, specifically through measures such as developing a system to monitor and manage deep-water fishing. The commission also urged Taiwan to fulfil its expected role in managing fisheries in its waters. The warning revealed some truths about the nation’s fishing industry, which the government had been trying to cover up by falsely claiming the nation to be a role model for fisheries.
Recent reports by international media outlets on illegal shark finning by the Taiwanese fishing boat Shin Jyi Chyuu 33 in the waters of the Republic of Palau again point to the incompetence of the Fisheries Agency. Regulations on fishery are so loosely designed, and so rarely enforced, that violators barely get punished. For instance, violation of shark fin harvest regulations leads to a fine of between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000, along with a fishing license suspension, which usually lasts only one month, although, in more serious cases, it can extend to a year. Such loopholes have allowed illegal fishing activities to persist when they are in fact no different from piracy.
It might appear that the government is reluctant to crack down on illegal fishing activities out of sympathy for fishermen. However, if Taiwanese fishermen cannot learn to abide by international fishing standards, they might end up excluded from the global fishing market. Should this happen, the entire nation would be affected.
For years, the international community has been battling piracy, off the coast of Somalia and in other places, repeatedly condemning the practice of holding ships and crew for ransom. To protect ships from pirates, many countries have sent warships to keep sea lanes safe, while many cargo ships and fishing boats have hired armed mercenaries for self-defense.
While piracy is seen as a major threat at sea, illegal fishing activities can be just as bad. Commercial fishing fleets from advanced nations have been found poaching in the waters of many African and Latin American countries. While these commercial fishing boats account for only 1.7 percent of all 3.5 million fishing vessels operating worldwide, their modern technologies allow them to account for about 60 percent of the total worldwide fish supply every year. As many of the African and Latin American countries have yet to develop any measures to manage fisheries or deal with poaching, the commercial fishing fleets have been able to freely plunder natural fishing resources — to the extent that local underwater species have become endangered and local fishing industries crippled.
As the Taiwanese government and public condemn pirates off the coast of Africa, they should also think about what their commercial fishing boats might be doing to other countries when they fish without authorization in deep waters.
Although the incoming government has repeatedly emphasized the importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to Taiwan’s economy, the nation continues to see incidents such as shark finning and unauthorized fishing across borders that could impede Taiwan’s efforts to join the TPP.
The TPP requires all of its members to fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and cut down on funding programs that might encourage overfishing. At present, Taiwan’s national image and fishing practices are far from meeting the TPP’s standards.
The agency needs reform in a number of areas, including its administrative efficiency, work culture and human resource management. If it does not change, fisheries will pose a major obstacle to Taiwan’s entry to the TPP. Sadly, this is something the government has yet to realize.
If Taiwan does not want to be excluded from the international community, it must follow international standards. The government must recognize the problems in the nation’s fishing industry and reform the sector through improvements to management and policies and their enforcement, as well as educating fishermen about international fishing standards, in order to meet the expectations of international organizations.
The incoming government has stressed the importance of openness to the world, saying that the ocean is where Taiwan’s future lies. As the ocean becomes increasingly important, national leaders should show that they are capable of reforming the agency and fishery-related research institutions. Only when Taiwan has shown its conviction to abide by international fishing standards can the nation connect with the world and revitalize its fishing industries.
Du Yu is CEO of the Chen-Li Task Force for Agricultural Reform.
Translated by Yu-an Tu
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