One of Taiwan’s important industry’s is its fishing industry. From small scale coastal fisheries in 1945, where approximately 100 trawlers landed 40 000 metric tons, the industry has grown into a US$3 billion industry, where about 26000 boats landed 1.3 million metric tons in 2004, providing a livelihood for 137 000 households. 45% of the catch is exported with skipjack, squid, big-eye tuna, yellow-fin tuna, and tilapia being the major exports.

The industry is not without controversy though. Mutinies are not unheard of. Just last week, seven Indonesian workers onboard the Taiwanese trawler, “Hsin Ming Tsai” were questioned by Taiwanese CIB (Criminal Investigation Bureau) officers after the captain, Tsai Yun-sheng  was allegedly murdered by the crew in a dispute over a pay raise, while the boat was moored near Palau. Tsai’s body was allegedly tied to a 20kg transmitter and dumped overboard. According to statistics gathered by the Pingdong county government, since 1996, more than half of the Taiwanese fisherman that have died or been reported missing at sea were suspected of being murdered by their crew (61 of 111 cases).

Economically, in November 2005, Taiwan was threatened with trade sanctions by Japan over illegal overfishing. The annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT), where Taiwan has had observer status since 1972 and cooperation status since 1999 (allowing it to receive a tuna fishing quota) ruled that Taiwan’s quota would be cut by almost 70% from 14,900 metric tons to 4,600 metric tons. In addition, Taiwan had to reduce it’s fleet of large, long-line fishing vessels from 614 to 454. In compensation payments alone, this has cost the Taiwanese government NT$4 billion (US$120 million) over two years. The steps taken by the Taiwanese government meant that in November 2006, the previous quota of 14900 metric tons was restored by the ICCAT.

Boats at Donggang (東港), Pingdong county (屏東縣)

Boats at Danshui (淡水), Taipei county (台北縣)

Fishing ports and harbors are also heavily promoted by the tourist bureau as prime attractions for sightseers and tourists. The port of Danshui (æ·¡æ°´), easily accessible by MRT from Taipei (台北) is one of Taiwan’s favorite destinations, and the southern port town of Donggang (東港), with its annual bluefin tuna festival is growing in importance to tourism.

Danshui (æ·¡æ°´).

Donggang (東港)

Donggang (東港) is southern Taiwan’s most important fishing port. Every morning, boats return to the harbor to offload their catch.

Coming into port.

Unloading the catch.

Taiwanese ship owners often have to rely on workers from China and Southest Asia, as many Taiwanese shun the hard work that is involved when working on an ocean-going commercial fishing vessel.

Indonesian workers on a Taiwanese fishing boat.

As fish come off the boats, they’re immediately taken into the wholesale market.

There, the fish are placed on the ground for inspection by the buyers.

Customers and curious onlookers crowd around to inspect the days catch.

Inspections.

Once the fish have been sold, they are tagged with a sticker.

Sold.

At the back of the market, fishmongers skin the fish before it’s taken away.

Fishmongers.

Close by any working fishing port you will find the maintenance facilities and slipyards.

Slipyard.

Nets and floats.

In the north of Taiwan, a lot of the boats are equipped with lights for night fishing.

Fishing boats, Northern Taiwan

But sometimes it’s just as easy to do things the simple way.

A fishing boat at Anping (安平), Tainan (台南).

All text and images ©Craig Ferguson. Feel free to contact me for usage terms.