Source: Greenpeace Press Release
Greenpeace's ocean campaign vessel Rainbow Warrior arrived in Keelung port, Taiwan, yesterday to launch the organizations Ocean Defenders Tour of East Asia.
The ship will sail to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea to campaign for protection of the oceans and depleted marine species.
During the Tour, Greenpeace will ask governments to support the creation of marine reserves to protect oceans and take action to stop the depletion of species such as tuna.
This will also be the last voyage of the current Rainbow Warrior before she is replaced by a better-equipped modern ship bearing the same name.
The Rainbow Warriors' arrival in Taiwan follows the establishment of a vast conservation area in the West and Central Pacific ocean on 1 January, where tuna purse seine fishing will be banned in an attempt to rescue the region's declining bigeye and yellowfin tuna stocks. Industrial fishing companies from Taiwan operate the largest number of long-line boats in West and Central Pacific ocean, which Greenpeace says will still be left plundering the areas now closed to industrial purse seining.
"Greenpeace will seek the support of Taiwanese government and industry for sustainable tuna fisheries in the Pacific Ocean. This can be done through the reduction of all fishing effort, banning wasteful fishing techniques and by establishing marine reserves. We want to save our tuna for future generations too," said Yu Fen Kao, Oceans Campaigner of Greenpeace East Asia.