More than 200 fishing boats gathered in the waters off Hsinchu County on Monday to protest live-fire training exercises held by the military in the area, a practice the fishermen said seriously affects their livelihood.
The protesters, mobilized by the Hsinchu Area Fishermen’s Association, said the army regularly holds exercises involving surface-to-sea firing at a shooting range in Kengzihkou and demanded compensation for losses caused by the exercises.
The association demanded that the range be relocated, fishing grounds returned and compensation of NT$1.4 billion (US$44 million) paid to cover losses it said were a direct result of the exercises.
The fishermen’s association said the army holds firing exercises on an average of 195 days a year, causing losses to about 450 fishing boats that are unable to work during the exercises.
Chu Chien-cheng (朱健成), head of the army’s Armor Training Command, said the army was willing to hold talks with local fishermen and has already met on eight separate occasions with the Hsinchu County government, the Fisheries Agency, the fishermen’s association and other local fishermen’s representatives.
Asked about the NT$1.4 billion in compensation demanded by the fishermen, Chu said the matter would be handled in accordance with the relevant laws.
He said that the army has applied for funds from the Ministry of National Defense and plans to give NT$10 million to Sinfong Township (新豐) and the Jhubei City Government this year and next year.
Chu also said the army has recently helped the township and the city secure NT$3.4 million in government funding to improve fishing facilities near the shooting range and for marine conservation.
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