Tuna vessels at Donggang port. (Photo: Stock File)

Taiwanese fishermen argue EU imposes stricter rules due to protectionism

TAIWAN
Monday, April 23, 2018, 23:50 (GMT + 9)

Local fishermen have expressed complaints about the requirements imposed by the European Union (EU) on Taiwanese fisheries, which, in their view, are unreasonable.

Taiwan Tuna Longline Association Chairman Ho Shih-chieh told CNA that local fishermen have a grudge against the EU for demanding that Taiwan observe rules on distant water fisheries operators that are stricter than international standards.

The complaint came before the EU is expected to decide by the end of the month whether Taiwan has made adequate progress at combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing since the European Commission issued Taiwan with a "yellow card" for its insufficient cooperation in the fight against IUU.

In March EU officials visited Taiwan to review the country's compliance with its requirements on improving regulations, regulatory enforcement and management of the country's distant water fishing industry, following a previous inspection trip in October 2017.

One of the examples Ho Shih-chieh has argued against is the EU's demand that vessels should transmit data -- information that includes vessel position -- recorded in the vessel monitoring system (VMS) to fishery authorities every hour, regardless of whether purse seine or longline gear is being used.

According to international standards, transmission of VMS data for purse seine vessels should be every hour but every four hours for longline fishing vessels, the leader pointed out.

In addition, Taiwanese fishermen question that the EU holds Taiwan responsible for IUU involving foreign-owned fishing vessels flying Taiwanese flags and that all uploading can only take place at designated ports are also unreasonable.

In their view, the EU is trying to impose the regulations to protect its fishing industry against competition from Asian fleets under the false pretense of environmental protection and sustainability of marine resources.

The leader insisted, it is a misconception that Taiwan operates 1,200 longline fishing fleets and is the world's largest tuna producer, adding that 700 of them are relatively small vessels of less than 100 tonnes.

He informed that the fishing capacity of these 700 vessels is nothing compared with the capacity of the commercial fishing vessels owned by countries in Europe and the Americas.

The Fisheries Agency warned that if the EU decides to upgrade the warning to a "red card," it will entail a ban on Taiwanese fishery products to the EU, resulting in an estimated loss of between TWD 50 billion (USD 1.69 billion) and TWD 60 billion (USD 2.03 billion), and unemployment in the fishing industry.

“If the EU applies double standards to Taiwan, the Fisheries Agency will argue strongly for the rights of the local fishing industry,” the Agency concluded.

Related article:

- EU to decide in a month whether to withdraw 'yellow card' from Taiwan

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