Greenpeace aerial photography revealed suspected illegal operations of a trawler and called on the future mayor of Yilan County to take countermeasures
The Huan Tuan called on the future Yilan County Magistrate to propose countermeasures and pointed out that the AIS activation rate was less than 40% and law enforcement was in vain.
Quick Look
- Through aerial photography, Greenpeace found that within one month there were 12 trawlers suspected of illegal fishing within the 3-nautical mile restricted area of Yilan, of which 5 were on the coast of Taiwan's main island and 7 were near Guishan Island.
- It was also found that 95 of the 150 fishing boats at Daxi Fishing Port had not turned on AIS, and the activation rate was less than 40%.
- The environmental group pointed out that the management of Yilan's sea area is insufficient and called on the future county magistrate to propose countermeasures.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
my country's regulations prohibit trawlers from operating within 3 nautical miles of the coast. Yilan has a specific period when it is open to catch cherry blossom shrimp and squid. During other periods, trawlers are also prohibited from operating within 3 nautical miles of the coast. The fishery output value along Yilan's coast has dropped from nearly 800 million yuan in 2012 to 458 million yuan last year.
Greenpeace discovered through aerial photography that a trawler was suspected of illegal fishing. (Courtesy of Greenpeace)
my country's regulations prohibit trawlers from operating within 3 nautical miles of the coast. Greenpeace revealed today (9th) that within one month, 12 trawlers were suspected of violating regulations within the 3 nautical miles of Yilan's restricted area. Five of them were within 3 nautical miles of Taiwan's main island, and seven were within 3 nautical miles of Guishan Island. It believed that the management of Yilan's sea areas was insufficient and called on the future Yilan County Mayor to propose countermeasures.
Yilan has a specific period where you can catch cherry blossom shrimp and fish commonly known as squid. During other periods, trawlers are also prohibited from operating within 3 nautical miles of the coast. Greenpeace released drone aerial photography and evidence collection images and found that 12 trawlers were fishing illegally, 5 of which were within 3 nautical miles of the coast of Taiwan's main island, and 7 others. The boats are within 3 nautical miles of Guishan Island, and it can also be seen in the aerial photography records that these suspected illegal fishing boats are towed from the bottom of the net, and raise the net to catch at least 500 to 600 kilograms of catch and unload it outside the deck. This illegal situation is even more rampant during the prawn season. Only when the radar is scanned by the coast guard, will they quickly leave or close the net.
Greenpeace also observed 150 fishing vessels at Daxi Fishing Port for a sampling survey on the 4th. It also found that 95 trawlers did not turn on the automatic identification system (AIS) in accordance with regulations. With the AIS activation rate below 40%, law enforcement has become ineffective, and the Yilan County government has even passively clamped down. The organization believes that this shows that illegal trawling is no longer a sporadic case, but a lack of management of Yilan waters.
Huang Xintong, Greenpeace Ocean Project Director, said that trawlers are towed back and forth on the seabed, which will seriously damage the habitats of young fish. The value of fishery production along Yilan's coast has dropped from nearly 800 million yuan in 2012 to 458 million yuan last year. The output value has been cut in half in 10 years. The most serious impact is on law-abiding fishermen. He believes that the future county magistrate will have to come up with a solution.
Greenpeace discovered through aerial photography that a trawler was suspected of illegally fishing within 3 nautical miles of Yilan. (Courtesy of Greenpeace)
Open Questions
- Have these 12 suspected illegal fishing boats been banned or fined by relevant units?
- What specific countermeasures will the Yilan County Magistrate propose in the future?
- Will the 95 fishing boats whose AIS is not activated be punished?
