Fish display at a market in Taipei. (Photo: Stock File)

Govt. quickly introduce law amendments to avoid EU sanctions

TAIWAN
Tuesday, May 17, 2016, 01:20 (GMT + 9)

The Taiwanese Government has passed a draft bill and revisions to an existing fishery law in an attempt to comply with European Union (EU) demands and avert EU trade sanctions on its seafood trade.

According to the Council of Agriculture (COA), which oversees the fishing industry, with this move authorities are trying to tighten controls on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing by the country's large distant-water fishing fleet, Focus Taiwan reported.

The amendment introduction came after the European Commission issued a yellow card to Taiwan on October 1, 2015 following the discovery of a Taiwanese fishing vessel violating shark finning laws in international waters, after a long series of discussions between the EU and Taipei over the elimination of illegal fishing practices.

In particular, the EU pointed to Taiwan's inadequate monitoring, control, and surveillance of long-distance fleets and gave Taiwan six months to improve its legal framework and take corrective measures.

Those six months have passed, and Taiwan has not yet received a "red card" -- which would entail Taiwan being banned from exporting seafood to the EU, a potential loss of an estimated TWD 7 billion (USD 214 million) in trade, according to Greenpeace.

Now, a public hearing on the draft bill titled "Regulations on Distant Fisheries," along with the amendment to the Fisheries Act and Ordinance to Govern Investment in the Operation of Foreign Flag Fishing Vessels, is scheduled for May 18 at the Legislative.

Although it was impossible to meet the EU's deadline for making amendments and passing new laws by the end of March, the COA said that if the EU approves of Taiwan's progress with the improvement plan, the deadline could be moved forward by a further six months, averting the threat of the EU issuing a red card and a consequent ban on Taiwanese seafood imports.

However, the draft bill and revisions must win ratification from the Legislative to become law before the current legislative session ends in mid-July to avert the EU trade sanctions, according to an industry expert.

Related articles:

- Illegal fishing and slave labour continue in Tawainese tuna fleet, states Greenpeace
- EC issues yellow cards to Taiwan and Comoros over illegal fishing
 
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