Japan-Taiwan Fishing Pact Takes Effect without Operational Rules

Tokyo, May 10 (Jiji Press)--A Japan-Taiwan fishing pact, which sets a joint fishing zone within Japan's exclusive economic zone around the Japanese-administered Senkaku islands in the East China Sea, went into effect on Friday. While Taiwanese fishing boats are allowed to operate in the zone, fishermen in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, are increasingly wary because no operational rules have been set. On Tuesday, officials from the Japanese and Taiwanese governments held a meeting in Taipei to discuss fishing rules in the joint zone, such as catch quotas and the number of ships allowed to operate there, based on the pact, which was concluded in April. But they failed to reach an agreement and left the matter to further discussions, causing the pact to take effect without specific rules. Okinawa fishermen are especially concerned about possible friction with Taiwanese fishing boats and a decrease in fish catches in the designated joint zone, which is rich in bluefin tuna. "I can clearly see that there will be many troubles with Taiwanese fishermen," such as thefts of fishing gear and fishing nets getting entangled, said Hideyoshi Nosato, 51, who belongs to a fisheries cooperative in the Okinawa city of Urasoe. Noting that May and June are the peak fishing season for bluefin tuna, Tadashi Nishime, 53, a member of a fisheries cooperative in Nanjo, also Okinawa, suggested that many Okinawa fishermen will have no choice but to operate in the joint fishing zone although they could face troubles with Taiwanese fishermen. Japan's Fisheries Agency is alert for illegal operations by fishermen from Taiwan and plans to seize Taiwanese boats found to be operating outside the joint fishing zone. The agency also plans to double the number of its patrol ships in and around the zone to 10. But as its patrolling activities may not be sufficient, the agency will ask private ships in Okinawa to monitor areas around the southern demarcation line separating the joint fishing zone from the rest of the Japanese EEZ. The local ships will be advised to inform the agency as soon as they spot foreign fishing boats. Costs for their activities will be covered by the government. END