A Taiwanese fishing vessel allegedly violated shark fin harvesting laws as Coast Guard Administration officers in Hualien County on Saturday found four shark fins without their carcasses onboard the vessel.
Coast guard inspectors boarded the Kaohsiung-registered fishing boat Dong Fa Sheng at Hualien Fishing Port and found pieces of what appeared to be shark fins without any shark carcasses, according to a report by the Chinese-language Apple Daily.
Eastern Coastal Patrol Office inspector Liao Jen-jung (廖仁榮) said the boat’s captain, surnamed Lin (林), admitted to removing fins from one shark and abandoning the remainder of the shark carcass at sea before entering the port, saying that he intended to eat the fins himself.
The fins weighed 2.1kg and were delivered to the Fisheries Agency to determine whether they belonged to a protected species.
The Fisheries Agency banned shark finning in 2012, stipulating that only unprotected shark species could be harvested, but the whole shark must be retained and transported to port in its entirety.
According the the Fisheries Act (漁業法), Lin could face a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a maximum fine of NT$150,000.
Greenpeace Taiwan campaigner Yen Ning (顏寧) said the alleged shark finning might not incur a heavy punishment because fishery authorities measure the severity of shark finning by the size of the ship in addition to the number of fins harvested.
The alleged shark finning might not constitute a severe violation judging by previous instances, Yen said, adding that raising fines for illegal fishing and improving law enforcement is important in the fight against shark finning.
“The maximum fine of NT$150,000 for a fishing violation has been considered too lenient,” Yen said. “The EU and many countries impose a fine of up to five times the illegal gains collected via shark finning. That is more effective in reducing the shark finning practice.”
The legislature has been reviewing the so-called “three fishery acts,” which aim to raise the maximum fine for illegal fishing activities.
The EU last year issued a “yellow card” to Taiwan over what it called the nation’s failure to enforce fishing laws following the discovery of illegal shark finning by a Taiwanese vessel in international waters.
The alleged shark finning by the crew of the Dong Fa Sheng would not have a direct bearing on Taiwan’s attempt to remove the EU yellow card, because the EU warning was focused on the practice of long-distance fishing fleets rather than coastal fishing vessels like the Dong Fa Sheng, Yen said.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
RSS