According to the Fisheries Agency, Taiwan and the Cook Islands have activated a mechanism to help uncover illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities. It is told that the Cook Islands in the South Pacific recently notified the West and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) that it would operate a mutual fishery examination system with Taiwan.
As per the deal the Taiwanese fishing boats operating in WCPFC areas are required to let Cook Islands fishery officials or police — after checking that they are genuine Cook Islands authorities — board and inspect their vessels to help crack down on transboundary IUU fishing.
The Fisheries Agency said that the Cook Islands is the second country after New Zealand to sign such a mutual fishery examination agreement with Taiwan. Taiwan and New Zealand inked their agreement late last month. It is explained that if the Taiwanese vessels don’t cooperate with the inspections or are found to have violated regulations may be banned from fishing commercially in those areas.
There is n doubt that the Taiwan-New Zealand mutual fishery examination mechanism marked the first time that Taiwan had participated in such inspection efforts, which are aimed at maximizing long-term benefits from west and central Pacific fishing grounds.
