Placing a 3m-long, missile-shaped fish aggregating device in front of the Council of Agriculture’s (COA) building, the Taipei chapter of Greenpeace staged a protest yesterday, urging the council’s Fisheries Bureau to present solutions to protect fish resources from further depletion.
The group said eight illegal fish aggregating devices — objects, such as buoys, that are used to attract fish — were found in the western and central Pacific by the Greenpeace vessel Esperenza during an expedition in the Pacific Ocean between September and December last year. This -appears to show that there are still loopholes in the current ocean management measures, the group added.
The group called for a total ban on the use of fish aggregating devices and the establishment of marine reserves to help conserve the ocean.
Taiwan Greenpeace oceans campaigner Yen Ning (顏寧) said the decision to reopen some high-seas pockets for fishing, made at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission’s annual meeting, which officials from the Fisheries Bureau had attended last week, was a setback for ocean conservation.
The group also invited the minister and other officials to board the Esperenza, now docked at Keelung Harbor, and urged them to present eco-friendly fishing policies as soon as possible.
Fisheries Agency Deputy Director-General Tsay Tzu-yaw (蔡日耀) said the bureau has conformed with the decisions made by the commission, and it would support methods that can improve fishermen’s livelihoods and boost the sustainability of fish resources.
Responding to the group’s demand that the bureau take an active role in fisheries management since Taiwan has the most vessels — more than 1,600 — in the area, Tsay said despite the large number of ships, Taiwan still has only one vote in the commission.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
The Taipei Summer Festival is to begin tomorrow at Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕), featuring four themed firework shows and five live music performances throughout the month, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said today. The festival in the city’s Datong District (大同) is to run until Aug. 30, holding firework displays on Wednesdays and the final Saturday of the event. The first show is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by Aug. 13, 20 and 30. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disney Pixar's movie Toy Story, the festival has partnered with Walt Disney Co (Taiwan) to host a special themed area on
BE CAREFUL: The virus rarely causes severe illness or death, but newborns, older people and those with medical conditions are at risk of more severe illness As more than 7,000 cases of chikungunya fever have been reported in China’s Guangdong Province this year, including 2,892 new cases last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it is monitoring the situation and considering raising the travel notice level, which might be announced today. The CDC issued a level 1 travel notice, or “watch,” for Guangdong Province on July 22, citing an outbreak in Foshan, a manufacturing hub in the south of the province, that was reported early last month. Between July 27 and Saturday, the province reported 2,892 new cases of chikungunya, reaching a total of 7,716
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
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