Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) yesterday proposed that Taipei should work to sign a fishery agreement with Beijing to address the problem of rampant poaching by Chinese fishermen in Taiwanese waters.
Jiang directed the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Council of Agriculture to conduct a feasibility study on such an agreement, which he said would help maintain good maritime order and stabilize the fishing industries on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Before such a pact is signed, the MAC should try to draw Beijing’s attention to the problem to avoid conflict, he added.
Jiang made the remarks during a weekly Cabinet meeting after hearing a report by the Coast Guard Administration on the issue.
According to Coast Guard Administration Minister Wang Ginn-wang (王進旺), a large number of Chinese fishing boats have been caught poaching off Kinmen County since earlier this month.
With the help of the MAC, the situation was reported to the Chinese side via the semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation on Oct. 9, Wang said.
Since Wednesday, about 20 Chinese fishing boats have been captured in waters near Kinmen in a joint crackdown operation between the CGA and the China Marine Surveillance service, he said.
In the past, the trespassing Chinese fishermen would use various means, including attacking Taiwanese officers with wooden clubs, to block them from boarding their boats for inspection, Wang said.
However, such incidents have decreased recently due to increased law enforcement presence, he said.
According to the administration, Chinese fishing boats are most often seen trespassing in Taiwan’s northern waters and in the waters around Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu.
During the first nine months of the year, the administration expelled 1,183 Chinese fishing boats and detained 542, with fines totaling NT$39.09 million (US$1.28 million) issued to 225 of them.
From Oct. 3 until Monday this week, 453 Chinese boats were expelled and 15 others detained. In addition, nine Chinese boats were expelled for allegedly extracting sand during the time period, the administration said.
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