President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of January 23 with a delegation including Ambassador David Balton, US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries in the Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. After welcoming the visitors to Taiwan, the president explained achievements in the fisheries sector resulting from the cooperative efforts of Taiwan, mainland China, Japan, and the Philippines.
In remarks, President Ma stated that Taiwan is surrounded by water, and consequently the development of marine and fisheries activities has been crucial to the nation. He went on to say that in light of its diplomatic situation, the ROC has been unable to become a formal member of international fishing organizations. In 2002, however, the ROC and the United States signed the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Cooperation in Fisheries and Aquaculture. Since then, Taiwan has participated in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO), and other important international organizations as a "fishing entity." This, the president stated, was a creative method that has allowed the ROC to effectively resolve many crucial fisheries issues.
President Ma then cited examples of achievements in the fisheries sector that are the product of cooperative efforts between Taiwan and neighboring areas such as mainland China, Japan, and the Philippines. His first example cited the fact that Taiwan and mainland China have now signed 21 agreements. While mainland China is presently unwilling to sign a fisheries agreement with Taiwan to avoid broaching sensitive border and territorial water issues, the two sides have not met any problems or obstacles in enforcing fishing-related laws. Next, the president mentioned that in 2013 the ROC and Japan signed a fisheries agreement. As it includes a "without prejudice" clause, that agreement has no impact on claims by either party under the law of the sea. The agreement gives Taiwan's fishermen an additional 4,530 square kilometers in which to operate, significantly increasing their catches, which include fish with a high economic value such as the bluefin tuna. For his third example, President Ma cited the Guang Da Xing No. 28 fishing boat incident from two years ago. In that incident, a Philippine Coast Guard vessel shot at a Taiwanese fishing boat, killing a fisherman and damaging the boat. Subsequently, the two sides reached a consensus, agreeing to refrain from using force in law enforcement actions, to notify each other prior to such actions, and promptly release detained fishing vessels and crews in case of arrest. These provisions all conform to regulations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea governing exclusive economic zones.
The president then discussed substantive measures that the ROC has adopted to promote sustainable development of the seas. He explained that, as an important fishing nation, the ROC has consistently paid close attention to the sustainable development of global marine resources. According to estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, annual global catches associated with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing are valued at roughly US$10 billion to US$23 billion. This is a serious threat to food safety, and the sustainable use of marine resources. In response to international efforts to combat IUU, the ROC in 2013 formulated the National Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate IUU Fishing. The ROC hopes to cooperate with other countries in jointly promoting the sustainable development of the world's marine resources.
Also in the delegation was Russell Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The group was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Christopher Marut and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrew Jen-Chuan Kao (高振群).