《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Agency facing criticism over shark-fin incident

‘INACTION’: The Fisheries Agency has yet to penalize two fishing vessels accused of illegally harvesting shark fins and importing them into Taiwan, Greenpeace said

By Sean Lin / Staff reporter

請繼續往下閱讀...

Greenpeace Taiwan yesterday accused the Fisheries Agency of inaction amid allegations that two Taiwanese fishing boats illegally harvested 143kg of shark fins before releasing the wounded sharks back into the ocean earlier this year.

The scandal could tarnish Taiwan’s image during the meeting of the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission （WCPFC） in Samoa next month, the group said.

The group alleged that in April, the Chi Fa 888, one of the fishing boats in question, harvested shark fins in the Pacific Ocean and then delivered them to Hui Fa to smuggle the illegally obtained goods into Taiwan.

The group said that Lin Han-te （林漢德）, former owner of the Chi Fa 888, in August reported the incident to the Fisheries Agency and asked it to penalize the perpetrators. The Fisheries Act （漁業法） stipulates that fishing vessels that harvest fins from marine animals are to be fined between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000, and that their fishing permits are to be revoked in cases of serious violations.

However, the agency has turned a blind eye to the allegations and allowed the two fishing boats to continue operating at sea, the group said.

Greenpeace Taiwan oceans campaigner Yen Ning （顏寧） said that the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission strictly prohibits the practice of shark fin-harvesting and has banned the fishing of a number of vulnerable species.

For example, several South Korean fishing boats were caught illegally fishing in the waters off west Africa and providing forged documents during inspections, prompting the US and the EU to warn Seoul that if it does not improve controls over its fishing industry, they would impose sanctions on its fish catch and seafood, Yen said.

In light of the losses resulting from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities around the world, which amount to more than US$10 billion annually, the EU has commissioned the WCPFC to enforce regulations to deter the relaying of shark fins between two or more vessels, she said.

With the WCPFC convention approaching, Taiwan, as a major global exporter of tuna, risks being boycotted by the international community if the government does not demonstrate its resolution to clamp down on illicit fishing activities.

Lin, who is also a member of the agency’s shark resource management task force, said he had rendered a report on the poaching incident along with pictures that he had taken as evidence, but the agency only sent some personnel to “learn about” the case, without issuing any penalties.

He said that he suspects the agency is attempting to cover up the scandal and that he would raise the issue during the task force’s annual meeting next month.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES