Taiwan & NZ Team Up To Fight Small IUU Tuna Vesselsff

Be Prepared: The Fisheries Agency said fishing boats may be approached by New Zealand fishery officials as part of a crackdown on unreported fishing activity

Source: CNA

The Fisheries Agency said earlier this week that nation’s fishermen should be aware of new measures implemented to help New Zealand and Taiwan combat illegal fishing.

The agency said deep-sea fishing boats operating in the west and central Pacific Ocean may be approached by New Zealand fishery officials or police for inspection. Fishermen should ascertain that the New Zealand authorities are genuine and allow them to board.

The goal of the cooperation is to crack down on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

About 1,500 Taiwanese fishing boats operate in the west and central Pacific Ocean, most of which fish for tuna, sharks and sailfish.

The agency said the vessels most likely to be singled out for inspection were 100 small long-line fishing boats — usually used to fish tuna — that are operating in open seas or in foreign fishing waters under contract from other countries.

An agency official said Taiwanese vessels that fail to cooperate with the inspections or are found to have violated regulations could be banned from fishing commercially in those areas.

Crew should keep documents and fishing logbooks handy for access by inspectors, the agency said. Fishing boats should be equipped with proper gear to measure fish and equipment designed to help avoid catching protected sea turtles, sea birds and young fish.

The official said the deal with New Zealand was Taiwan’s first international effort to promote sustainable fishing in the Pacific Ocean since the West and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission passed an agreement in December 2006, the official said.

Taiwan is a member of the international commission.

Each year, up to US$9.5 billion in fish from illegal and unreported catches are sold worldwide, says a report by the high seas task force of the World Commission on Protected Areas.

Illegal and unreported catches comprise 14 percent of the total global marine catch in terms of value, based on figures available for 2001. Up to 30 percent of such fishing occurs in the open seas, where there are fewer controls, the study says.