It may come as a surprise to many that the sun never sets on the Taiwanese distant water fishing industry. Taiwanese distant water fishing fleets are a common sight on all the oceans of the world. These pioneers of the watery lanes bring home forty billion Taiwan dollars’ worth of goods on an annual basis. But sustainable development depends on whether the latest technology and management knowledge can be applied to continuously upgrade the industry.

The amount of fish produced by Taiwan’s distant water fisheries is impressive: around seven to eight hundred thousand metric tons a year. On a whole, the amount of fish produced by Taiwanese fisheries ranks number twenty-three in the world.

But Taiwan also shines in individual categories of fishes. For instance, Taiwan’s catch of Pacific saury has been ranked as number one in the world. Taiwan’s catch of skipjack tuna, tuna, and mahi-mahi also ranks among the top.

These results were achieved after many decades of courage and toil by countless Taiwanese fisherfolk. They were the true founders of Taiwan’s fishing empire. But they are beset by the effects of climate change, the depletion of marine resources, and the harsh reality of international politics.

The future of Taiwan’s distant water fisheries, coastal fisheries, and aquacultures depends on the combined efforts of Taiwan’s public and private sectors. The end goal is to improve the industry’s capabilities and achieve sustainable development.

Crisis and Opportunity for Massive Distant Water Fisheries

“Taiwan’s distant water fishing industry is enormous. There are over 1,200 distant water fishing vessels registered in Taiwan. This figure does not include FOC (Flag of Convenience) vessels, which are Taiwanese fishing boats registered with other countries,” says Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲), Minister of the Council of Agriculture.

Taiwanese distant water fishing fleets can be spotted on all the oceans of the world. Over the years, they’ve achieved impressive results. But hidden behind the wonderful numbers is the concern that the industry needs to upgrade and transform itself again. Because Taiwanese distant water fisheries are beset by various challenges, the greatest of which is how to comply with regulations set by the European Union.

The key to the future development of Taiwan’s distant water fisheries is compliance with regulations set forth by international organizations, such as the EU. These regulations stipulate nations should desist from actions that fall under the categories of IUU: “Illegal”, “Unreported”, or “Unregulated” fishing.

In October of 2015, Taiwan was issued a yellow card by the EU, which meant Taiwan was not cooperating fully in the fight against IUU fishing. The Council of Agriculture is proactively fighting against all three aspects of IUU fishing. The Council is using regulations and monitoring to combat unlawful practices, with the end goal of lifting the punitive “shackles” from Taiwan’s distant water fishing industry. 

                       

Compliance with International Law: Transparency is the Key

“The important issue is whether we’re transparent with our amount of fishing,” says Chen Chi-chung empathetically. The distant water fishing industry needs to improve itself and keep up with international regulations.

Otherwise, if the yellow card is not lifted, or if the EU gives Taiwan a red card, our country’s fishing limits will become tighter, we will not be able to export fish to the EU, and our fishing fleets may even be prohibited from offloading fish or undergoing repairs in foreign seaports. This will severely impact Taiwan’s efforts to work with other international organizations.

In order to hasten the process of getting the yellow card lifted, the Council of Agriculture has not only set up laws and regulations, but also proactively established methods of management and monitoring with new technology. It is patiently guiding Taiwan’s fishing fleets to learn how to abide by international regulations.

“The survival of Taiwanese distant water fisheries depends on whether we comply with international regulations, especially the fishing limits established by regional organizations.”

Based on this principle, the Council of Agriculture established the Fisheries Monitoring Center (FMC; 漁業監控中心), and a system for dispatching its observers.

Smart Monitoring and Technological Management of Distant Water Fisheries

The FMC established by the Council of Agriculture is located in a modern building in Taipei City. Inside the control center, a giant monitor shows all five continents of the world. Little blinking lights on the vast oceans represent Taiwanese fishing vessels.

Chen Chi-chung explains that once a distant water fishing vessel sets sail, it becomes a proverbial needle in a haystack, almost impossible to trace. In order to help these ships comply with international regulations, the Council of Agriculture has designed a tablet-sized “e-logbook” (即時漁獲資訊回報系統) that is installed inside fishing vessels to track their location and amount of fishing in real time.

In order to make it easier for fishers to report their catch, different species of fishes are represented in the e-logbook with special graphics. All the fishers need to do is tap the right graphic and enter the precise size of their catch.

“Once they reach the fishing limit, the FMC will notify the vessel to take notice and avoid running afoul of regulations.”

Chen Chi-chung realizes that: “The sustainability of the fishing industry relies on correct maritime policy.” The future of the Taiwanese fishing industry depends on how it will “modernize” itself and become into an “enterprise,” so it can be truly “transformed” and upgraded.

The FMC operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Even the EU and the United States have expressed astonishment at how Taiwan took complete control of the situation through cutting-edge technological advancement. What’s more, the Council of Agriculture has dispatched industry observers to major seaports that serve as bases for distant water fisheries.

Although these measures cost between 300 and 500 billion Taiwan dollars annually, they serve as a “preventive” measure that prevents Taiwan from breaking international regulations, and so it ensures the sustainable development of the Taiwanese fishing industry.

“We saw that Thailand was also issued a yellow card by the EU, but the Thai government was very forceful in its inter-departmental integration and coordination. They aggressively pursued policy reform, and so they were able to get their IUU yellow card lifted,” says Chen Chi-chung.

The Council of Agriculture is also proactively working with other departments such as the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Ministry of Justice, and the Coast Guard Administration to join their forces. “Recently, we visited the EU twice to consult with them. Through the combined efforts of various departments, we hope to get the yellow card lifted as soon as possible.”

Upgrading the Competitive Edge Again: To Help Aquacultures Regain Their Former Glory

In addition to aggressively upgrading Taiwan’s distant water fisheries, the Council of Agriculture is also focused on developing other aspects of the sector, namely the future operation of Taiwan’s coastal fisheries and aquacultures.

In the past, Taiwan was a reputable kingdom of aquacultures. Currently, aquacultures that produce tilapia, milkfish, groupers, and the common Orient clam are still very impressive and competitive. But the question of how to upgrade this sector in the face of global competition can only be answered with an all-encompassing strategy.

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The first aspect is to invest in the refinement of the fishing industry. “For instance, the China-United States trade war is an opportunity for Taiwan. One example is Taiwan’s export of tilapia. This industry can be refined, we can export boneless fillets and fully use the whole fish. Taiwan already possesses the necessary production technologies to enter the markets of Europe and the United States.”

“As for the question of food safety, such as the use of drugs or antibiotics, this is a topic that consumers are deeply concerned with.” In the face of rising competition, the Council of Agriculture is proactively guiding the aquaculture and coastal fishing industries to place greater emphasis on food safety.

They are investing in technologies such as deep freezing to better manage production from the top of the supply chain. Aquacultures are also using technological innovations to aid production, so Taiwan’s fish exports can enter the global market with a competitive edge in quality.

Guiding the Transformation: Development of a New Type of Aquacultures

The next crucial step is to develop a more sustainable type of aquacultures and “smart” fishing. The Council of Agriculture has taken the initiative and set up special aquacultures to experiment with transformation.

“We are currently focused on the dual directions of cage culture and marine ranching. Both concepts deserve to be fully explored,” explains Chen Chi-chung.

In the future, it is imperative to develop “smart” fishing industries. The starting point will be special aquacultures in Fangliao Township in Pingtung County. “Aquacultures are affected by multiple factors, such as temperature, dissolved oxygen levels, the pH scale…we can utilize Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to control the feeding process and adjust the aquatic environment. This will not only increase production, but also reduce risk and damage.”

In order to protect the aquaculture industry from various environmental factors such as climate change, the Council of Agriculture has produced fifteen different types of agricultural insurances. In particular, two types are aimed at protecting planned aquacultures from natural disasters.

Climate-related indexed insurances pertaining to low temperature and rainfall help the aquaculture industry with risk management. Full coverage is ensured so the development of Taiwanese fisheries can become sustainable while remaining highly competitive.

Chen Chi-chung, Minister of the Council of Agriculture, actively guides aquacultures and coastal fisheries to place greater emphasis on food safety, so Taiwanese exports can compete in the global market with an advantage in quality.

Translated by Jack C.
Edited by Sharon Tseng
Content sponsored by Council of Agriculture